Nicu Ștefănuță warns of the far right’s rise after AfD achieves a record result in Saxony-Anhalt

MEP Nicu Ștefănuță warned on Sunday evening about the rise of the far right in Europe, following the initial estimates of the regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. AfD was credited with 44.5% of the vote, the party’s best result in a German regional election.

“The nightmare is real,” Ștefănuță said, arguing that the result contradicts the idea that radical parties are overestimated in polls and that voters ultimately would not vote for them. He called on democratic parties to abandon complacency and prepare for campaigns based on organization and concrete solutions.

The MEP said that voters are primarily concerned with everyday problems, not only with warnings about extremism, the rule of law, or democracy. In his view, the rise of the far right can be fueled by austerity measures that are insufficiently explained and affect vulnerable groups.

Ștefănuță linked the situation in Germany to Romania, stating that “the government’s cuts” could contribute to the growth of the far right. He warned that political developments in other European states could be repeated in Romania as well and identified France as the next possible flashpoint.

According to the estimates, CDU obtained 18.5%, SPD 8%, and the Greens 9%. The result significantly changes the balance of power in the state in eastern Germany and intensifies the debate about AfD’s development at the national level.