Europe turning right? What AfD's victory in Germany means for Europe, Russia & US
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a historic electoral victory in Saxony-Anhalt, doubling its previous vote share. This result has sparked widespread debate over whether Europe is shifting toward right-wing populism and how it might impact EU and NATO policies.
Why it matters
As Germany is Europe's economic powerhouse, a significant rise in far-right influence could fundamentally alter the continent's geopolitical stance on Russia, Ukraine, and international alliances.
Germany has just delivered a political shock that is reverberating far beyond its eastern border.The Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 44.5% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its 2021 tally and crushing Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats, which fell to 18.5%. The result was historic as no far-right party has come this close to dominating a German state since World War 2.The immediate political effect may be limited as mainstream German parties still refuse to cooperate with the AfD, but the psychological effect is already being felt.(function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})();Germany’s political firewall against the far right has been breached electorally, and the question now spreading across the continent and the world is simple: is Europe turning right?The answer increasingly appears to be yes.
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