Musk celebrates, Tusk despairs: How the world reacted to the AfD’s election win

Tech billionaire Elon Musk applauded the German far right’s win in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, a result that sent shockwaves through the country’s political establishment and around Europe. “Well done!” Musk wrote on X in response to Alternative for Germany co-leader Alice Weidel’s acclamation of lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund. Siegmund thanked the billionaire for his “support” and floated future cooperation, saying Germany could again become “a place worth investing in” if the party takes power in Saxony-Anhalt. Musk has championed the AfD for years, including during Germany’s 2025 federal election campaign. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has had a turbulent relationship with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and publicly attacked him this spring over Berlin’s criticism of U.S. policy toward Iran, posted a screenshot without commentary on Truth Social of Sunday night’s projected result. The AfD ultimately took 43.8 percent and 39 of 83 seats — three short of an outright majority — delivering its strongest-ever state election result and moving closer to governing a German state than any far-right party since World War II. The result had the party’s allies around Europe exulting. Italy’s right-wing Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini congratulated his “friend” Weidel and declared: “Another Europe is possible.” Austrian far-right leader Herbert Kickl said voters had torn down the political “firewall” around the AfD, while Spain’s Vox leader Santiago Abascal wrote on X that the result was “a great hope for Germany and Europe.” Hard-right Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe called the AfD “an inspiration.” Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders also congratulated the party after the election results rolled in. Notably, Britain’s preeminent populist-nationalist leader Nigel Farage had not publicly commented on the result as of Monday morning, with France’s far-right leaders Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella also remaining tight-lipped. Mainstream shock While Musk and Europe’s right rejoiced, centrist and left-wing heavyweights around the continent sounded the alarm. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that “only idiots or traitors” in Poland could celebrate the result. French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad called it “a grave moment in Europe,” warning that “nationalism and xenophobia will never be a solution.” Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing France Unbowed, called the AfD’s return a “catastrophic demonstration of the blindness of Europe’s centrist politicians” and said: “This disaster is their doing.” Giorgia Meloni’s coalition in Rome was split: Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, leader of the pro-European conservative Forza Italia, declared the result “extremely bad news,” putting him at odds with coalition partner Salvini. By Monday morning, Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had not publicly weighed in — nor had EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa.