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🇪🇸 Spain /Elections & Politics

AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt gives Europe’s far right a boost ahead of uncertain election cycle

From La Vanguardia · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The far-right Alternative for Germany won decisively in Saxony-Anhalt, prompting celebrations among populist and far-right figures across Europe.
  • Viktor Orbán, Santiago Abascal, André Ventura and Roberto Vannacci described the result as historic, spectacular or evidence of demand for political change.
  • The result comes before expected elections in Italy, Spain and France, where far-right parties could influence government formation or lead polling.

Alternative for Germany’s decisive victory in Saxony-Anhalt has sent a wave of celebration through Europe’s far right. The result is being hailed by populist forces as a breakthrough that could encourage them at the start of an unsettled electoral cycle.

An enormous night for Germany and Europe.

· Viktor OrbánThe former Hungarian prime minister celebrated AfD’s regional election victory.

“An enormous night for Germany and Europe,” former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán declared. “Get ready, this is just the beginning.” Spain’s Vox leader, Santiago Abascal, congratulated AfD leader Alice Weidel and winning state candidate Ulrich Siegmund on what he called “a spectacular result that is a great hope for Germany and Europe.”

In Portugal, far-right leader André Ventura called the victory “historic” and said Germans were “opening their eyes” to illegal and uncontrolled immigration, corruption, and what he described as the capture of freedom and identity. Italy’s Matteo Salvini, a government ally of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said the result showed strong demand for change, security and jobs. “Another Europe is possible,” he wrote.

Get ready, this is just the beginning.

· Viktor OrbánOrbán presented the result as the start of a broader political advance.

Roberto Vannacci, a general and Salvini’s rival on the Italian right, used the result to challenge accusations that the movement is extremist. “If half the population is with AfD, the accusations of extremism, by definition, evaporate and disappear,” he said. “Extremism is at the extremes, half cannot be extreme.”

A spectacular result that is a great hope for Germany and Europe.

· Santiago AbascalThe Vox leader congratulated AfD leader Alice Weidel and candidate Ulrich Siegmund.

Italy is expected to hold legislative elections in spring 2027, while Spain is expected to hold a general election before summer. Vox is gaining strength and could become an essential partner for the conservative People’s Party. France is due to hold Europe’s most closely watched election in spring, with Jordan Bardella of the National Rally leading opinion polls. Bardella and his allies, who have distanced themselves from AfD, have not commented. In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk took the opposite view, saying only “idiots or traitors” could celebrate AfD’s victory.

If half the population is with AfD, the accusations of extremism, by definition, evaporate and disappear.

· Roberto VannacciThe Italian far-right figure argued that the result undermined accusations against the movement.
About this summary

Originally published by La Vanguardia in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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