Saxony-Anhalt: Nazi-curious AfD won big, and the White House approves

Key Points:

• In Saxony-Anhalt’s recent local election, the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) won a plurality with 43.8%, potentially forming Germany’s first far-right government since the Nazis, challenging the longstanding political consensus against such parties.
• The AfD has grown increasingly radical, with leadership linked to neo-Nazi groups and extremist rhetoric, and its rise threatens Germany’s traditional “Brandmauer” strategy, which isolates the party to prevent it from gaining power.
• The party’s ascent has significant geopolitical implications, given its pro-Russia and pro-China stance, which conflicts with Western interests, especially regarding the Ukraine conflict and NATO unity.
• The Trump administration has unusually supported the AfD, with officials publicly defending the party and hosting delegations, reflecting a foreign policy driven by ideological alignment with far-right populism rather than traditional strategic interests.
• This approach represents a shift from past U.S. democracy promotion efforts, focusing instead on bolstering far-right factions in democratic states as part of a broader cultural and ideological battle centered on immigration and “Western civilization.”