Key facts
- The AfD party won 43.8% in the Saxony-Anhalt election, more than doubling its previous result.
- Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski expressed concern that the AfD's rise could turn Germany's military buildup into a security risk.
- Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk strongly criticized any celebration of the AfD's electoral success.
- Germany is undertaking a significant military rearmament, including plans for long-range weapons.
- The AfD has called for an end to German weapons shipments to Ukraine and a rollback of sanctions against Russia.
Poland has expressed significant concern over the electoral gains of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, particularly in the context of Berlin's ongoing military buildup. Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski warned that the AfD's growing influence could transform Germany's rearmament into a security risk for Europe, despite Warsaw's general support for a robust German military.
The AfD achieved a record 43.8 percent in the recent Saxony-Anhalt state election, more than doubling its previous result, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) saw its worst-ever performance in the state, falling to 17.2 percent.
Sikorski emphasized Poland's desire for Germany to play a strong, democratically led role in European security but recalled historical concerns about a rearmed Germany in the hands of a pro-Russian, far-right party, which he stated the AfD represents. This sentiment resonates deeply in Poland due to historical experiences with German invasions and occupation.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed these concerns, stating that any celebration of the AfD's triumph in Poland would be the act of "idiots or traitors." Germany has been significantly increasing its defense spending, with plans for substantial investment in long-range weaponry as part of its broader rearmament efforts aimed at deterring Russia.
Currently, the AfD remains in opposition at the federal level, with mainstream German parties maintaining a 'firewall' against cooperation with the far-right. However, the party advocates for a softer stance towards Moscow, calling for an end to German weapons deliveries to Ukraine and the rollback of sanctions against Russia.