French minister calls AfD’s victory a grave moment, warning of growing nationalism and its impact on European unity.
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The 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.
The results drew a mixed response around the world, with far-right parties welcoming the news and some governments raising warnings.
Here’s how the world reacted to the news:
France’s Finance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL radio on Monday that the victory of AfD 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 he says is “spreading around the world today” and that “we must resist [it]”.
France’s 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.
“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.
Andr Ventura described the result as an “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.
Sikorski said the fact that the far-right party narrowly missed 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 proceeded to personally thank Musk on X for his “support” and “clear and highly important perspective” on the “political developments of our time”.
Ex-Prime Minister Viktor Orban called the win “a huge night for Germany and Europe,” and said that “this is just the beginning”.
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”.
Dmitriev said Siegmund was the “voice of reason” in a post on X.
“In Poland, only idiots or traitors could rejoice the AfD triumph in Germany,” Tusk wrote in a statement on X.
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.
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