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🇳🇱 Netherlands /Elections & Politics

Shock and horror after AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt as Europe’s far right celebrates

From NRC Handelsblad · () Dutch

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

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • German politicians, media and Holocaust memorial centers condemned the Alternative for Germany’s major victory in Saxony-Anhalt, calling it dramatic, dangerous and a historic rupture.
  • Far-right figures including Geert Wilders, Viktor Orbán, Santiago Abascal and Matteo Salvini welcomed the result, while Elon Musk wrote, “Gut gemacht!”
  • International Auschwitz Committee chair Eva Umlauf said Holocaust survivors had never believed an extreme-right party could again become the strongest group in a German state parliament.

The Alternative for Germany’s major victory in Saxony-Anhalt triggered shock across Germany and celebration among radical-right politicians in Europe. German politicians, memorial centers and media described the result as a grave threat to liberal democracy.

Green Party co-chair Felix Banaszak called the situation “dramatic.” Eva von Angern, the lead candidate for Die Linke in Saxony-Anhalt, called it “a black day for Saxony-Anhalt,” while SPD chair Olaf Lies described the result as “dramatic” and “unthinkable.” The CDU of Chancellor Friedrich Merz was expected to respond later.

What we are seeing here is a dramatic situation.

· Felix BanaszakThe German Green Party’s national chair reacted to the AfD’s victory in Saxony-Anhalt.

German media used similarly stark language. Zeit called the result an “everything-must-change moment,” Taz described it as “absolute horror,” and Der Spiegel called it “extremely dangerous for liberal democracy.” French deputy minister for European affairs Benjamin Haddad called the victory “a serious moment” and said, “Nationalism and xenophobia will never be a solution.”

A black day for Saxony-Anhalt.

· Eva von AngernThe Die Linke lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt described the election result.

Italy’s reaction was divided. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called it “terrible news,” while Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini described it as a “resounding success” that underscored strong demand for change. PVV leader Geert Wilders congratulated the AfD with celebratory emojis. Viktor Orbán called the victory “great for Germany and Europe,” and Spain’s Santiago Abascal called it “hope for Germany and Europe.”

Elon Musk, who regularly promotes the far-right party, replied “Gut gemacht!” to an X post by AfD parliamentary leader Alice Weidel. Donald Trump shared the election’s interim results on Truth Social without comment. Kirill Dmitriev, a special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, reposted Trump’s post and called it a “historic victory for the pragmatic AfD.” The party regularly voices pro-Russian positions.

Nationalism and xenophobia will never be a solution.

· Benjamin HaddadFrance’s deputy minister for European affairs condemned the AfD victory.

Eva Umlauf, a German Auschwitz survivor and chair of the International Auschwitz Committee, said the result frightened Holocaust survivors. “We could never have imagined that an extreme-right party would once again become the strongest group in a German state parliament,” she said.

We could never have imagined that an extreme-right party would once again become the strongest group in a German state parliament.

· Eva UmlaufThe German Auschwitz survivor and International Auschwitz Committee chair expressed alarm at the result.
About this summary

Originally published by NRC Handelsblad in Dutch. 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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