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🇬🇷 Greece /Elections & Politics

The shockwave of the AfD’s victory across Germany and Europe

From Kathimerini · () Greek

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

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Outcome reported
  • The AfD’s decisive win in Saxony-Anhalt, although regional, is expected to increase pressure on Germany’s centrist coalition government.
  • Analysts see the result as the first electoral triumph by a far-right nationalist party in Germany since the fall of the Third Reich in 1945.
  • The outcome has drawn attention beyond Germany as the AfD gains strength nationally and its political message echoes themes associated with Donald Trump’s MAGA movement.

The AfD’s sweeping victory in the small eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt has sent a shockwave far beyond the region. Analysts say the result could further weaken Germany’s already strained centrist coalition government, despite the election being only regional.

The last nail in the political coffin

· BBC analysisThe analysis assessed the possible impact of the AfD’s regional victory on Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Saxony-Anhalt has just 1.7 million voters, compared with 59 million nationwide, and the AfD narrowly failed to win an outright majority. Yet the result is being treated as nationally significant. A BBC analysis suggested it could become “the last nail in the political coffin” of conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had campaigned on sharply reducing the AfD’s support.

The political shift comes as Germany faces pressure to remain focused on a broader European crisis. The BBC said the result could weaken and further distract Germany, the European Union’s strongest power, as Europe confronts Russian aggression, Donald Trump’s tariff threats and the economic challenge from China.

Everything is possible!

· AfDThe party used the phrase as its optimistic campaign slogan.

The result is also expected to trigger a period of German reflection over the resurgence of the country’s Nazi past. Kathimerini described it as the first electoral triumph of a far-right nationalist party since the fall of the Third Reich in 1945.

Germany for the Germans

· AfDThe phrase reflected the party’s nationalist political messaging.

The AfD has built support in eastern Germany by channeling frustration and a lack of prospects. Its anti-immigration message, opposition to the “woke” agenda, call for “Germany for the Germans,” and attacks on mainstream media and judicial neutrality have drawn comparisons with Trump’s MAGA movement. Trump posted the exit polls, while Russian businessman Kirill Dmitriev called the result “historic,” described Germany’s government as weakened and said Merz had been humiliated.

Historic

· Kirill DmitrievThe Russian businessman used the word to describe the AfD’s election result.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathimerini in Greek. 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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