AfD’s success in German elections piles pressure on a fragmented EU

The centre may be holding' but if the far right continues to win elections, the European project faces a rocky few years

Alternative fur Deutschland's stunning success in Germany's regional elections was described as bitter" and worrying" by chancellor Olaf Scholz. It is also concerning for the EU, which is grappling with existential problems, from Russia's grinding war on Ukraine to the climate crisis, while at the beginning of a new five-year cycle after the European elections earlier this summer.

A dark day for Germany is a dark day for Europe," said French centrist MEP leader Valerie Heyer. While the results in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony were not a surprise after the AfD's strong showing in June's European parliamentary vote, they confirm the steady rise of parties once considered beyond the pale.