Germany’s Far-Right Surge Shakes Europe’s Establishment

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 44% of the vote in Sunday's Saxony-Anhalt state election, a historic gain that has shaken Germany's establishment and raised concerns about the resilience of Europe's postwar democratic order. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the result the CDU's most severe election defeat in decades, as his party lost more than half its 2021 vote share. The AfD's success challenges the "eastern exception" argument, since it is already the largest opposition party in the federal parliament. Across Europe, far-right parties now lead coalitions in Italy and the Czech Republic and hold junior roles in several other governments. The EU's "cordon sanitaire" faces pressure from hard-right groups holding 196 European Parliament seats, while external support from figures like Elon Musk and US Vice President JD Vance has reinforced the movement's rise.