First foreign reactions after AfD victory in Germany

The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt drew sharply different reactions from politicians across Europe. Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he was disappointed by the result and attacked Polish opposition figures who celebrated it.

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Only idiots or traitors in Poland can be happy about the AfD’s triumph in Germany.

“Only idiots or traitors in Poland can be happy about the AfD’s triumph in Germany,” Tusk wrote on X on election night. He said many such people could be found in the opposition parties Confederation and Law and Justice, known as PiS.

In neighboring Czechia, parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura congratulated the AfD through public broadcaster ČT. “First and foremost, I hope it will become part of the new governing coalition in Saxony-Anhalt,” said Okamura, founder of the right-wing Freedom and Direct Democracy party. He argued that forming a coalition without the AfD would contradict voters’ wishes.

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First and foremost, I hope it will become part of the new governing coalition in Saxony-Anhalt.

Conservative opposition politician and former interior minister Vít Rakušan urged Czech politicians to learn from the German state election. “The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt shows how dangerous it is when democrats hand important issues, such as migration and other burning social questions, over to populists,” said the STAN party leader. Instead of merely expressing outrage at the success of “openly pro-Russian extremists,” he said, democrats needed to offer realistic and lasting solutions.

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The AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt shows how dangerous it is when democrats hand important issues, such as migration and other burning social questions, over to populists.

Italy’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani called the result “very bad news” and said he hoped the AfD’s success would remain “a local exception.” He described the party as “completely opposed to the liberal and Western values with which Forza Italia identifies.” Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s League, took the opposite view, congratulating AfD leader Alice Weidel and the party on its “triumph” and saying the result showed a strong demand for change, security and work. Elon Musk also welcomed the result, writing “Well done!” beneath Weidel’s post celebrating lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund’s victory. Siegmund thanked Musk for his support.

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Very bad news