It is not yet clear whether the Alternative for Germany party will be able to form a government in the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the extent to which the so-called “separation wall” will hold, according to which the rest of the parties commit not to enter into a government coalition with the Populist Party. Will this wall be able to create a majority that prevents the formation of a government led by the “Alternative”? Or will political arrangements that have been unlikely until now be crystallized in the state parliament?
The participation of populists in the government will have a completely different political impact, compared to obtaining a high percentage of the votes. Then right-wing populists in Europe will be able to celebrate not just an electoral victory, but an actual gain in power. A number of Germany's neighboring countries are concerned about what an "alternative" victory might mean in a country considered the beating heart of a continent.
Concern also stems from the possibility that this victory may be an indication of the expansion of the influence of the extreme right and its sweeping across all of Europe in the future. The sensitivity of this electoral event increases because the “Alternative” adopts skeptical positions towards the European bloc, is more stringent on immigration policy, pro-Russian tendencies and opposes continued support for Ukraine. These are issues that directly affect the cohesion of the European position on defense, security and foreign policy. The Europeans also fear that the rise of the “Alternative” will weaken the traditional German role in building consensus within the bloc, and will encourage right-wing populist parties in other European countries.
In this regard, the Latvian newspaper “Netkareva” wrote (September 9, 2026), commenting: “Why does the rise of the Alternative Party pose a threat to Europe and Latvia in particular? Above all, because it is a party that does not recognize the common interests of Europe. It supports unconditional and comprehensive cooperation with Russia and does not see in this country anything that would make normal coexistence with it impossible. (..) It is clear that the interests of Latvia or other “small” countries do not The leadership of the "AfD" party pays the slightest attention to it. According to the conviction of the party's politicians and voters, it is not worth shedding the blood of German soldiers for us, nor even giving up a single cent of money that could benefit the German people for it (..) We will probably not be able to rely much on Alice Weidel, Sarah Wagenknecht or Ulrich Zigmund when Russian tanks start positioning on the borders of Latvia.
Polish concern about the overwhelming victory of the "Alternative"
Poland is watching the rapid political changes in Germany with particular interest. From Warsaw's point of view, the fact that a party classified by the Constitutional Protection Authority as an extreme right-wing party received more than forty percent of the votes in Saxony-Anhalt, and outperformed the Christian Democratic Union by a large margin, is not just a local event, but rather an indicator that may foretell more radical developments in the western neighbor. While the centrist political forces in Europe look with concern at this development, right-wing populists from Rome to Budapest, as well as in Moscow, are celebrating this electoral sweep.
The Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza (September 9) enumerated the various reasons for the populist surge in eastern Germany and wrote: “There are many reasons for the high support for the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt. Some of these reasons lie in population decline, deindustrialization, and memories of full employment in the communist era that are strongly rooted in the local context. Others, such as the general economic decline and the end of the post-war German industrial model, stem from problems at the federal level.” There are other reasons, such as the fear of mass migration and the transition to a world in which, for the first time in history, the number of elderly people in societies is much greater than the number of young people, and these are global issues that pose a challenge to the entire West.”
Immigration is not the only reason.
The growing influence of the populist right in Germany indicates a deeper crisis than just the rise of a particular political trend. It reflects, in an important part, the widening gap between sectors of society and between the traditional parties and their political elites. The more it seems to a citizen that the issues of his daily life, from the costs of living, housing, energy, and immigration to security and job opportunities, do not receive enough attention in the programs of the ruling parties, the more he feels that his electoral voice is losing its ability to bring about real change. It is precisely in this space that the populist right finds an opportunity to present itself as an alternative that listens to the people and challenges the elites, even if some of its solutions are simplistic or harsh. Therefore, confronting populism does not begin by simply warning against it, but rather by restoring confidence in democratic politics by actually listening to the concerns of citizens and convincing them again that elections are capable of changing policies, and that traditional institutions and parties still possess the will and ability to represent their interests.”
In this regard, the Slovak newspaper “Smi” wrote (September 10, 2026), a comment that went in the same direction: “The success of the Alternative Party among the Germans is often explained in a simplistic way by a problem with immigration, as it is a party that proposes the strongest anti-immigration policies, and therefore it is elected (..) But the most fundamental question is: Why did millions of voters become open to an extremist anti-regime policy in the first place? The issue of immigration may be a very powerful factor in mobilizing voters, but it It is not the real reason behind the move away from politics and the political system (..) Since the 1990s, traditional parties have been losing their followers (..), parties that have maintained their strong influence in the country, but in return they have lost their social roots with their voters. At the same time, the transfer of their funding from members’ subscriptions to external sources has led to an increase in the influence of businessmen rather than the influence of voters (..) and this does not apply to Germany alone, but rather includes all of Europe (..) when citizens have accumulated, over the course of decades, a feeling that they can Elections change politicians and governments, but they cannot change the direction of politics to the same extent. This creates space for parties to provide a simple answer: The system is ignoring you, so we will destroy it.
European concern about the tension between the “alternative” and Moscow
The rapprochement and political flirtation between the Alternative Party and Russia is raising widespread controversy in Germany, especially with growing criticism of any positions seen as lenient with Moscow. Berlin considers that political communication with Russia in light of its war on Ukraine sends disturbing messages and weakens the German and European position towards Moscow. The latest chapter in this yarn was the controversial praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin by Alternative Party MP Jürgen Koegel, when he described the Kremlin leader (in the Bundestag, on September 9) as “respected President Vladimir Putin,” and said that he did not pose any danger regarding the outbreak of war against NATO. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius responded by saying, “Your relations with Moscow are a complete betrayal (..) Russia is waging a war against Ukrainian civilians and poses a threat to Germany and Europe. (..) The only ones who deny this, and even talk about “Respected President Putin,” describing him as a friend, and want to leave NATO, and thus endanger the security of all of us and the lives of many people, are the Alternative Party.
On the other hand, Kuegel accused the German government of preparing for war against Russia by increasing spending on armaments. He referred to statements by US President Donald Trump in which he said that Russia does not plan to wage war against NATO. In this regard, the Lithuanian Broadcasting Corporation wrote a commentary stating that “the AfD represents a much greater danger because it is the most pro-Russian German party since the era of former East Germany under Honecker’s rule. Therefore, a victory for the AfD would mean that Berlin would end its support for Ukraine, enter into an alliance, albeit only a civil one, with Russia-Putin, and withdraw the German army from Lithuania. Such a shift would mean opening the doors of Lithuania, and beyond, to hordes of people.” The Russians,” the newspaper says.
