German Chancellor Friedrich Merz admitted to feeling shocked today, after the hard-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) soundly defeated his own center-right party in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. He went on to characterize the loss as his party’s worst in decades. According to Reuters, the Chancellor immediately ruled out any cooperation with the AfD, even as the continent still processes the surprising results. The Daily Mirror reported that the AfD secured nearly 44% of the vote in the state, leaving Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) trailing significantly with only 17.2%. This outcome puts a hard-right party within reach of power at the state level for the first time in postwar Germany. Since AfD fell short of an absolute majority, winning 39 of the 83 seats in the legislature, the party is actively attempting to persuade individual conservative lawmakers to support their bid for power. At a press conference, a rattled Merz said, “This shakes our party to its very foundations,” and indicated that “deep reforms” were needed, per Reuters. He later added, “We are all deeply shocked.” The crux of his objections to the party is its push to stop supporting Ukraine and rebuild ties with Russia. The AfD is also heavily anti-immigration. Per the Daily Mail, AfD’s win was celebrated by hard-right figures around the world, with Elon Musk writing “Well done!” on X A test of the “Firewall” Reuters reported the Chancellor’s own approval ratings have been hitting record lows. However, he brushed aside suggestions to step down, insisting that “Giving up is not an option for me.” He remains committed to his government’s reform agenda, arguing that the current political movement and AfD’s subsequent win represent a critical fight for the survival of Western values. Alarm bells are ringing across Europe after a landslide election victory puts the far-right on the brink of holding power in a German state for the first time since the Nazis. https://t.co/AYT5Pfb4Ak— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 7, 2026 When it comes to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Merz was reportedly firm in his position: “I will not deviate by even a millimetre from my fundamental conviction that we must defend our freedom, especially now, against Russia.” He warned that stopping support for Ukraine would only serve the interests of the Russian leadership, which he believes aims to destabilize the system of values underpinning the West. The AfD, however, is clearly emboldened. According to the Daily Mail, National co-leader Alice Weidel hailed the result as a milestone and suggested that the Chancellor should be “replaced before Christmas.” Speaking about the future of AfD, she noted, “My stated goal is to significantly widen the gap in a very short time and grow to at least 40 per cent for the next federal election.” Gut gemacht!— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 6, 2026 The party’s campaign resonated with many voters through its focus on immigration, national pride, and economic frustration. Ulrich Siegmund, the lead candidate for the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, reportedly celebrated the victory by telling supporters, “we have written history.” He also claimed that the Chancellor himself was a “very good campaigner for us in this election campaign.” The Daily Mail noted that AfD’s win also made waves across Europe. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL radio that the result “sends out a very, very worrying signal.” He added, “This shows that we face a major challenge in the face of a populist wave which is spreading around the world today and which we must resist.” Similarly, France’s European affairs minister Benjamin Haddad wrote on X that the election result “marks a very grave moment for Europe.” He further noted, “We must listen with humility to the anger, fears and worries and duly respond to these concerns. But nationalism and xenophobia will never be the answer.” Interestingly, earlier this year the State Department was overseeing an effort to ally with far-right groups across Europe. In Poland, Donald Tusk reportedly noted that only “traitors” would celebrate AfD’s victory. Spain’s Prime Minister in the meantime warned of the “extremist threat” advancing through the world. Their worries stem from the same reasons they had celebrated Orbán’s defeat in Hungary. Reuters reported that Germany’s mainstream parties have a longstanding “firewall”policy, of refusing to work with AfD. Tino Chrupalla, AfD’s other co-leader, told German radio that “Partisan games really ought to be a thing of the past.” Following their win, the populist left-wing BSW party has indicated a readiness to work with them, as both parties share a hostility toward mass immigration and advocate for restoring ties with Moscow. German Chancellor Merz, after AfD's victory:"We are all deeply shocked. We did NOT expect it in this form."How can they be "shocked" when they've governed so terribly for so long???Do they want to be treated like Dems in California, with a lifetime appointment despite a…— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 7, 2026 Saxony-Anhalt is a small state in the former communist east, and one of the poorest. Reuters noted that AfD was popular among men, with 50% voting for the party. Additionally, the voters themselves tended to be financially insecure and less educated. Despite this, AfD’s win is still a strong signal to the other parties, particularly with the upcoming state elections. Merz has promised to try harder to connect with voters, but the path forward remains incredibly difficult given the growing deep-seated economic frustrations.