Mainstream politicians around Europe have expressed alarm after the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) swept to a historic state election victory in Germany, while nationalist figures cheered the result as a mandate for change.
While falling just short of an absolute majority, the AfD surged into first place in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on Sunday, exit polls showed, putting the far right within reach of power at the state level for the first time since the second world war.
Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, told a party gathering in Madrid on Monday that the result showed that “the extremist threat, largely thanks to the surrender of the traditional right, is gaining ground in Europe and in the world”.
France’s finance minister, Roland Lescure, said it “clearly sends out a very, very worrying signal … This shows that we face a major challenge in the face of a populist wave which is spreading around the world today and which we must resist.”
Lescure’s comments echoed similar remarks on Sunday evening by France’s European affairs minister, Benjamin Haddad, who posted on social media: “To see the far right prevail in the German regional election marks a very grave moment for Europe.” » | Jon Henley | Europe correspondent | Monday, September 7, 2026
Es kommen wieder die Nazis! Mir ist ganz klar, und es sollte Ihnen auch ganz klar sein, dass etliche Deutsche wenig oder gar nichts von ihrer Geschichte gelernt haben. Dass sie bereit sind, alles aufs Spiel zu setzen ist nichts weniger als erstaunlich! Es ist auch beunruhigend. — © Mark Alexander
