The victory of the AfD in the regional elections of Saxony-Anhalt confirms the unstoppable rise of the far right in Europe, and the inability of traditional parties to contain their loss of votes. The fact that the result has occurred in Germany has undeniable significance both due to the country's history and the fact that it is the EU's largest economy, but it should also be noted that it is not the first major nation in which an extremist party wins an election. Giorgia Meloni in Italy, for example, whose government became the longest-serving in the country just last week after, it is true, moderating its discourse upon coming to power.
But there are more cases. Many more. In Poland, with Karol Nawrocki becoming the country's president; in Spain, with the recent regional election results of Vox and the good prospects for this party in the upcoming general elections next year; in France, with Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, who even aspire to win the 2027 elections in France; in the Netherlands, with the victory, already in 2023, of Geert Wilders; in Belgium, with Bart de Wever; or even in the European Parliament itself.
And all these movements, results, and aspirations share at least two common elements: the denunciation of the decline of the European middle class and a strong rejection of immigration. Especially towards those who do not share European values and profess a different religion. Specifically, Islam.
The first factor, that of the middle class, is undeniable. Europeans are increasingly poorer, have less purchasing power, and this is incomprehensible in Belgium, France, or Germany. Countries that historically have had a significant industry, have experienced more or less vigorous economic growth, and where an average worker had access to a good car and a good house. And that is no longer the case. In Spain, perhaps, this is accepted with a bit more resignation, but in Central Europe, it is intolerable, and the far-right parties have managed to capture this sentiment and turn it into one of the fundamental points not only of their electoral results but also of their attacks on traditional conservative parties.
Because they are the ones who, to a greater or lesser extent, have been in power during the decline of the middle class, and this makes them directly responsible for this situation. The example of Germany illustrates this almost perfectly: while the AfD has more than doubled its number of votes to reach 43.8%, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU has plummeted from 31% in the previous elections to the 17% it obtained on Sunday.
The reforms presented by the chancellor have not been well received, the economy is not taking off, and German companies continue to make drastic staff cuts, especially those in the automotive sector. The latest being that of Volkswagen Group.
Regarding immigration, it is equally evident that there is a portion of the European population that openly rejects it. They consider not only that immigrants benefit from government aid without contributing, but also that they are making cities less safe and civil. That Europe is becoming less European. And therefore, measures like the Meloni centers, which were initially seen as a dangerous extravagance of the far right, have become a policy that even the European Commission embraces.
Traditional parties have tried to align with this tough stance against immigration. The policies of Mette Frederiksen, the Prime Minister of Denmark, are a good example. Her discourse does not sound socialist at all, but probably thanks to that, she has managed to stay in power. In Spain, the PP of Alberto Núñez Feijóo has also made a significant shift, and the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, is almost the only European leader maintaining a pro-immigration policy.
The simplicity in the speeches is also key to the rise of the far right. Once again, the AfD and their messages through TikTok are a good example. History and logic tell us that easy solutions to very complex problems are never the answer. It's not that simple. But many Europeans don't care. They don't reflect on it, and if they do, they ignore it when voting.
And all of this fits perfectly with euroscepticism. The rejection of the EU, which is another widespread point among European far-right formations and undoubtedly causes great concern in Brussels. The European Commission avoided commenting on the result in Saxony-Anhalt yesterday, stating that it does not give its opinion on national or regional elections, which is not entirely true. When Péter Magyar won the elections in Hungary last May, President Von der Leyen was quick to celebrate a result that was very favorable to the EU, the opposite of what happened on Sunday.
This concern in Brussels also extends to many countries. In Poland, the country's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, was very harsh. "Only fools or traitors can rejoice in the AfD's triumph," he said, to which his influential Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, added that "it seems they were just a few votes away from achieving an absolute majority, but this is indeed a very worrying sign." This country is one of the many holding legislative elections in 2027, a situation crucial to understanding the words of both politicians.
In Spain, Sánchez also warned that the result "is a warning that the far-right threat, thanks in large part to the surrender of the traditional right, is gaining ground in Europe and the world." But in other nations, on the contrary, the result was widely celebrated. "Congratulations to my friend Alice Weidel and all of AfD for the triumph in Saxony-Anhalt. A resounding success, which highlights the strong demand for change, security, and employment. To the dismay of those on the left who fueled fears and catastrophic scenarios," Italian Vice President Matteo Salvini posted on his X social media profile.
"Fear? Terror? Danger? No, it's called DEMOCRACY. Another Europe is possible," he added. Which one? Well, the one defended by the far right and which includes a middle class regaining its power and where immigration is contained. Although especially for the former, no one offers a clear solution because, once again, it is a very complex problem. But that seems to not matter.