The AfD does very well in the recent German elections in Saxony-Anhalt
It was predicted, and it has come to pass:
Exit polls in the Saxony-Anhalt state election saw Alternative for Germany — an “extremist” party backed by Elon Musk — secure 44.5% of the vote for its candidates, with Merz’s CDU party only netting 18.5%, the ARD broadcaster reported.
The right-wing party’s co-leader, Alice Weidel, hailed the turnout as a “historic” result for her group as she vowed that Merz’s party would never win another election again.
But the national general-secretary of Merz’s party, Franziska Hoppermann, was defiant in opposing the strengthening party.
“AfD is a right-wing extremist party. It wants to leave the euro; that would be economic downfall. … It works closely together with Russia, it wants a completely different social model,” Hoppermann said. “We will not work with them.”
The article says the AfD is pro-Russia. What does that mean; in what way? Does it support Russia versus Ukraine? Does it support the social conservatism of Russia? The answers seem to be yes and yes. See also this which emphasizes that support for the AfD is especially strong in the former East Germany, where the recent election occurred (the linked article is from 2024):
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is experiencing a significant and troubling surge in popularity, particularly in the eastern German states of Thuringia, Saxony, and Brandenburg. These regions, which have long struggled with the economic and social fallout of reunification, are now emerging as strongholds for the far-right party. The AfD’s rise in these areas is fueled by a complex interplay of socio-economic grievances, disillusionment with the outcomes of reunification, and widespread opposition to national policies on immigration, climate change, and Germany’s military support for Ukraine. A particularly alarming aspect of the AfD’s platform is its overtly pro-Russian stance, which resonates strongly in parts of East Germany where scepticism towards the West and a nostalgic view of the Soviet era still linger. The party has consistently opposed sanctions against Russia, criticised Germany’s support for Ukraine, and echoed Kremlin narratives that place blame on NATO for the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
This alignment with Russian interests is not merely rhetorical but supported by tangible connections that have raised serious concerns both within Germany and internationally. Investigations have revealed financial ties between senior AfD figures and Russian operatives, along with communications suggesting coordinated efforts to undermine Germany’s stance on Ukraine. These connections suggest that the AfD’s pro-Russian orientation may be part of a broader strategy by Moscow to influence German politics and weaken European unity.
The party is anti-migration; which just seems sensible to me at this point for Germany. But the Russia connection gives me pause.
AfD is a nationalist party on a continent and in a country that is not. The party does not trust the EU for good reasons, among them the forcing of unlimited 3rd world immigration into all Euro countries to precisely destroy every nation in Europe.
As Elon Musk says, the AfD’s positions are ones that 25 years ago were Centrist and remarkably mainstream but are now labeled Far Right.
If you watch Elon’s interview by the ghoulish reporter from The Economist a few weeks ago you can completely empathize with anyone voting for the AfD in Germany, or any similar party in Europe. The AfD is simply the German version of MAGA. If on the other hand you want unlimited Islamic immigration and Sharia Law, you won’t like the AfD.
Every time Musk brought up the problem with the 40 million Muslims in Europe she brushed them aside with, “Of course some things are just problematic.”
The AfD’s position on Russia or Mongolia for that matter is utterly irrelevant, and besides the point just as Trump’s position on politics in Japan has no bearing on MAGA.
Incidentally, The Left in Germany detests Alice Weidel, the AfD leader for her support of Israel. Surprise, surprise. Antifa is also violently opposed to AfD which tells you all you need to know about politics in Germany these days.
Wir schaffen das says Alice, as Mutti Merkel used to say.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuoqKYxDHVc
John Galt III:
25 years ago it was not centrist to be pro-Russia or to consider that it should recapture Ukraine. I don’t think it’s irrelevant, either
On many other issues, the AfD does seem to be relatively centrist.Wanting to leave the EU would not have been centrist 25 years ago, although i support that.