AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt alarms France’s left and centre, while RN stays silent

“A real alarm signal,” “general mobilisation,” and even a “time of truth”: the reactions from France came quickly after the Alternative for Germany claimed a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt. The National Rally, which has distanced itself from its former German ally in recent years, remained silent at first.

“

A catastrophic demonstration of the blindness of centrist European politicians. This disaster is their result. Under these conditions, the German project to create Europe’s first conventional army is unacceptable for France.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon delivered one of the sharpest responses. He called the result a “catastrophic demonstration of the blindness of centrist European politicians” and said the defeat was their responsibility. In his view, Germany’s project to build Europe’s first conventional army was unacceptable for France under these circumstances.

Socialist Party First Secretary Olivier Faure said the result was no longer merely a warning. “The reactionary and far-right international is advancing with its face uncovered,” he wrote, calling for general mobilisation. Communist Party national secretary Fabien Roussel described the outcome as a “terrible record for the EU and its treaties” and urged that they be changed.

“

This is no longer a warning. It is an order to launch general mobilisation. The reactionary and far-right international is advancing with its face uncovered.

Gabriel Attal, a presidential candidate and leading figure in President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, also called the result a “real alarm signal.” Speaking on BFMTV, he said France needed to draw lessons from it. The traditional barrier against the far right, he argued, could no longer serve as a sufficient political project to win a majority of voters. He called instead for a vision, concrete measures and a reinvention of the political model.

“

A real alarm signal.

Éric Zemmour, the leader of the far-right Reconquête party, described the result as a “time of truth.” He said voters would be blamed, but argued that responsibility lay with those who had spent half a century treating as a wrongdoing what people experienced as an obvious desire to remain themselves.

“

The time of truth.