News · September 2026
Germany’s Far-Right Breakthrough
The AfD’s historic win in Saxony-Anhalt brings the far right to the brink of power. Can the firewall hold?
Image credit: Omer Messinger/Getty Images
Last Sunday, in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany’s far-right AfD won close to 44 percent of the vote — more than doubling its share from five years ago and coming within three seats of an absolute majority. Turnout surged past 77 percent as more than 150,000 former nonvoters rallied to the party, while the Christian Democrats fell to their weakest result in decades.
For the first time since the party’s founding in 2013, the “firewall” that has kept the far right out of German government is trembling. Can it hold? And what does the AfD’s breakthrough reveal about the health of democracy across Europe?
The following Journal of Democracy essays examine the AfD’s rise and what it means for Germany and Europe. Free to read for a limited time.
Online Exclusive
The Alternative for Germany Is Triumphant
The far-right Germany party is surging on the heels of a historic victory. The so-called Blue Storm is no longer a force on the horizon. It has arrived, and Germany’s political center is falling fast.
Online Exclusive
Will Germany’s Firewall Fall?
In the first contests of Germany’s “super election year,” the radical-right AfD performed well far from its strongholds. The country may soon decide it’s time to cooperate with the party rather than try to contain it.
Online Exclusive
Why Germany’s Far Right Is Winning Big
The far-right Alternative for Germany is no longer a mere protest party. It’s tapping into widespread discontent and is surprisingly popular with young voters. Even more, it is reshaping the political future of Germany.
Quarterly Issue
In Europe, Democracy Erodes from the Right
When ordinary voters are given a choice between democracy and partisan loyalty, who will put democracy first? Frighteningly, Europe harbors a deep reservoir of authoritarian potential.
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Image Credit: Omer Messinger/Getty Images