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World reacts to AfD victory in east Germany state election
World reacts to AfD victory in Germany state election
French minister calls AfD’s victory a grave moment, warning of growing nationalism and its impact on European unity.
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facebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoThe far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has won the regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to preliminary results.
AfD is set to secure 39 seats at the state parliament in Magdeburg, just short of the 42 seats needed for a majority.
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The results drew a mixed response around the world, with far-right parties welcoming the news and some governments raising concerns.
Here’s how the world reacted:
United States President Donald Trump
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said that the populist party had had a “really big night”.
He attributed the results to “horrible” immigration policies that “have hurt Germany so badly”.
“THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore!”
Finance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL radio on Monday that the AfD victory sends a “very, very worrying signal” to Europe.
He said the continent is facing “a major challenge in the face of a populist wave”, which is “spreading around the world today” and that “we must resist”.
European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad said the results mark “a very grave moment for Europe” and that “nationalism and xenophobia will never be the answer”.
“We cannot forget our history,” he added.
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez
Sanchez said that the “far-right threat” is spreading in Europe and that the German state election result is a “warning” of a bigger political shift, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.
“What we saw yesterday in Saxony is a warning, and I think also a confirmation: a warning that the far-right threat, thanks largely to the surrender of the traditional right, is gaining ground in Europe and the world,” he said.
AdvertisementSantiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party
“Congratulations, Alice Weidel and Ulrich Siegmund, on this spectacular result, which represents great hope for Germany and Europe,” Abascal wrote on X.
Weidel is the AfD’s co-leader, while Siegmund is the AfD’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt.
Andre Ventura, leader of Portugal’s far-right Chega party
Ventura said the result was a “historic victory”.
“Germans are also increasingly opening their eyes to illegal and uncontrolled immigration, corruption and the appropriation of our freedom and identity. Congratulations!” he wrote on X.
Poland’s prime minister and foreign minister
“In Poland, only idiots or traitors could rejoice the AfD triumph in Germany,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in a statement on X.
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the fact that the far-right party gained close to a majority was an alarming sign.
“It seems they’re just a few votes short of an absolute majority, but this is indeed a very worrying sign,” he told Radio Vox FM.
Businessman Elon Musk welcomed the results in a statement on X, simply stating “Gut gemacht!” which translates to “well done” in German.
Siegmund, the AfD’s lead candidate, proceeded to personally thank Musk on X for his “support” and “clear and highly important perspective” on the “political developments of our time”.
Hungary’s former Prime Minister Viktor Orban
Former far-right leader Orban said the results were “a huge night for Germany and Europe”, and that “this is just the beginning”.
Former US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell
Grenell described the victory as “a huge win and a new day for Germany” in a statement on X. He also said that “people are ready for change”.
Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund
Dmitriev, who heads a sovereign wealth fund created by the government in Moscow to co‑invest in the Russian economy, said Siegmund was the “voice of reason” in a post on X.