AfD candidate thanks Musk after projected victory in Saxony-Anhalt
In Germany, Ulrich Siegmund, a candidate from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, thanked Elon Musk for his support after the party’s projected victory in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. According to The Guardian World, AfD more than doubled its support in the region and may become the first far-right party to gain power at the state level in Germany since World War II.
Musk’s reaction and exit poll results
On Sunday evening, Siegmund wrote on social media platform X that he was grateful to Musk for his support and his view of current political events. He also said he would welcome the opportunity for strong and constructive cooperation.
Before that, Musk congratulated AfD co-founder Alice Weidel in German after she reported the projected result. US President Donald Trump posted a screenshot of the election projection on Truth Social without comment. Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy of the president of the Russian Federation — an aggressor state — shared a screenshot of Trump’s post and called the result a historic victory for AfD.
According to exit polls, AfD received 44.4% of the vote. The Christian Democratic Union of Chancellor Friedrich Merz had about 18.4%. Die Linke came third with 9.3%, the Greens received 8.7%, and the Social Democratic Party received 8.4%.
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Reactions in Europe and government prospects
French Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad called the result a serious moment for Europe. He said nationalism and xenophobia cannot be the solution and urged listening to voters’ concerns and fears. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that in Poland, only idiots or traitors could rejoice at AfD’s triumph in Germany.
Despite AfD’s result, its ability to form a state government remains uncertain. The party has ruled out joining a coalition, while other major political forces refuse to cooperate with it. The publication notes that AfD advocates ending support for Ukraine and ending the granting of refugee status to Ukrainians.
The German Economic Institute warned of far-reaching consequences of AfD’s immigration policy for Saxony-Anhalt’s economy. The institute stated that the region has an aging and shrinking population and depends heavily on foreign workers. Critics also voiced concerns that the party’s Kremlin-friendly position could lead to sensitive information leaking to Russia under its administration. AfD rejected these claims.
