Far-Right AfD Wins Saxony-Anhalt Election, Drawing International Concern

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won the election in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, with lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund thanking US billionaire Elon Musk for his support after the results were announced.

Siegmund referred to Musk’s support in a post on X, thanking him “for his support and important perspectives on political change.”

The AfD’s strong performance has triggered concern across Europe, with a French minister describing the rise of the far-right, anti-immigration party in a European country as a “serious moment.” Analysts have also raised concerns about the potential economic consequences for Germany and the security of sensitive information.

The AfD is widely regarded as pro-Russian and has called for an end to German assistance to Kyiv in the war in Ukraine. The party has also opposed granting Ukrainian nationals refugee status.

AfD Falls Short of Majority

The election result puts the AfD close to becoming the first right-wing party to form a government in a German state since World War II.

The party nearly doubled its support in Saxony-Anhalt. However, despite winning by a significant margin, it fell three seats short of the majority required in the 83-member state parliament, securing 39 seats.

Other parties have ruled out cooperating with the AfD to form a government, leaving its path to power uncertain. The AfD itself has also said it is not interested in forming a coalition government.

Before Siegmund’s post, Musk had addressed AfD co-leader Alice Weidel on X, writing, “Well done.”

US President Donald Trump also shared a screenshot of the election results on Truth Social without adding a caption.

Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, reposted a screenshot of Trump’s post and praised the AfD’s performance, describing the result as historic.

Warning From France and Poland

French Minister for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad called the AfD’s victory “a serious moment for Europe.”

“Nationalism and hostility toward foreigners can never be the solution,” Haddad warned.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also criticized the AfD’s success, saying that only “fools and traitors” in Poland could be pleased by the party’s victory.

Economic and Security Concerns

The German Economic Institute has warned that the AfD’s rise could have far-reaching consequences for the economy of Saxony-Anhalt and Germany as a whole.

Experts have particularly raised concerns about the party’s immigration policies. Saxony-Anhalt is facing a declining population and an increasing proportion of elderly residents, while its economy relies heavily on foreign workers.

Critics have also warned that the AfD’s pro-Russian stance could create risks of sensitive information being passed to Moscow if the party gains control of a state government.

The AfD has rejected such allegations, saying it intends to reform Germany’s domestic intelligence services.