BERLIN-(MaraviPost)-Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) has strengthened its position in a series of state elections, opening a new debate about the party’s growing support, its chances of entering government and the willingness of other European right-wing parties to work with it.
Writing for CNN, Sophie Tanno and Joseph Ataman report that the AfD’s electoral advances have been welcomed by some of its ideological partners in Europe, while parties in countries including France, Italy and Britain have maintained varying degrees of distance because of disagreements over the German party’s political positions and international alliances.
The AfD’s strongest recent result came in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, where it won 43.8 percent of the vote and secured 39 of the state parliament’s 83 seats.
The result left the party three seats short of an outright majority and represented a major increase from its 20.8 percent share in the previous state election in 2021.
The AfD then emerged as the largest party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on September 20, winning 38.2 percent and 32 of the 71 seats.
The governing Social Democratic Party won 35.5 percent and 29 seats, while the CDU received 4.9 percent and failed to cross the five-percent threshold required to enter the state parliament.
In Berlin, the AfD finished third with 16.3 percent and 29 seats, more than doubling its previous vote share.
The Left Party won 25.7 percent and 47 seats, while the CDU took 18.8 percent and 34 seats.
The SPD won 12.1 percent and 22 seats.
These results do not mean that the AfD is automatically taking power.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, other parties have ruled out forming a coalition with it, leaving the AfD with the largest parliamentary group but without an immediate governing partner.
The same political barrier remains important elsewhere because Germany’s established parties have generally maintained what is known as a political “firewall” against cooperation with the AfD.
Why is the AfD gaining support?
The reasons for the AfD’s growth are not limited to immigration.
Recent voter research on the Saxony-Anhalt election found that economic policy, social security and concerns about peace in Europe were important factors for many voters.
Immigration remains a central part of the AfD’s political message, but analyses of the election suggest that it was not necessarily the decisive issue for every voter.
Economic pressure has also become an important part of the political debate.
Germany has faced concerns over energy prices, industrial competitiveness, manufacturing jobs and the wider performance of its economy.
In eastern Germany, long-standing differences in household wealth and investment have added to concerns about economic opportunity and the future of local communities.
The federal government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also faced dissatisfaction over the cost of living, economic reforms and other domestic policies.
The recent state elections therefore reflect both support for the AfD and frustration with established political parties.
Why are other European parties divided?
The AfD describes itself as a political alternative to Germany’s established parties, but its relationships with other European right-wing movements have become complicated.
France’s National Rally has previously worked with the AfD in the European Parliament but broke with the German party in 2024 following disagreements over statements by senior AfD figures and the party’s approach to Germany’s Nazi-era history.
National Rally has since pursued a strategy aimed at presenting itself as a more broadly acceptable governing force in France.
That has made its relationship with the AfD more difficult.
Italy’s Brothers of Italy, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has also maintained a separate political position.
One important difference concerns foreign policy.
The AfD has opposed military assistance to Ukraine and called for the lifting of sanctions against Russia, while Meloni has supported Ukraine and remained aligned with NATO policy.
Nigel Farage in Britain has also expressed reservations about parts of the AfD’s foreign-policy outlook, particularly its relationship with Russia.
The disagreements demonstrate that European parties can share positions on immigration or national sovereignty while differing significantly over Russia, Ukraine, NATO and relations with the European Union.
Why does Germany’s Nazi history matter?
The AfD operates in a country where public debate about Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime and the Holocaust remains especially sensitive.
Statements by politicians about the Nazi period have repeatedly generated controversy, including within debates about the AfD.
The party rejects accusations that it represents an extremist threat and has challenged the classification of parts of its organisation by German authorities.
This history helps explain why some European parties that share elements of the AfD’s political agenda nevertheless avoid close cooperation with it.
What does the AfD’s rise mean for Germany?
The immediate political effect is greater fragmentation.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD won the largest share of the vote but cannot form a government on its own.
In Berlin, the AfD increased its representation substantially but finished behind the Left Party and CDU.
In Saxony-Anhalt, its 43.8 percent result brought it close to a parliamentary majority but still left it without enough seats to govern alone.
For Germany’s mainstream parties, the results create a difficult political question: how should they respond to a party that is attracting a larger share of voters while maintaining their refusal to form coalitions with it?
The answer could shape future coalition negotiations and the wider direction of German politics.
The AfD’s growing support is also being watched beyond Germany because its positions on Russia, Ukraine, immigration and European integration could affect debates within Europe if the party continues to gain electoral strength.
For now, the recent elections show a clear increase in AfD representation, but they do not by themselves establish that the party is about to take national power.
What they do demonstrate is that Germany’s political landscape has become more fragmented, while the question of how established parties should respond to the AfD is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid.
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