AfD Wins Record German Votes Amid European Far-Right Isolation

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved record domestic support in recent state elections, securing a historic 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt and making significant gains in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Despite this electoral surge, the party is increasingly isolated from its European far-right peers. France's National Rally broke ties with the AfD in May 2024, citing the party's failure to purge extremist elements and its rhetoric regarding the Nazi era. Similarly, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni distanced her party from the AfD, citing irreconcilable differences over NATO and Ukraine.

The AfD's pro-Russia stance and links to China have complicated its relationships with parties seeking mainstream legitimacy. While leaders from Hungary, Spain, and the Netherlands congratulated the party on its advances, and Donald Trump offered support via social media, other nationalist figures remain skeptical. Nigel Farage described the party as a mixed bag, noting that he finds the pro-Putin positions hard to understand.