Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned celebrations in Poland over the AfD's strong showing in Saxony‑Anhalt, saying only "idiots or traitors" would rejoice. Projections place the AfD at roughly 44% in the Magdeburg vote — just shy of an outright majority, though the party claims a mandate to govern. Austria's FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl praised the outcome and compared it to 1989, while Czech Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura congratulated the AfD and urged its inclusion in a regional coalition.
Tusk: 'Only Idiots Or Traitors' Should Celebrate AfD Win — Saxony‑Anhalt Result Divides Neighbours
FILE PHOTO - Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, speaks during a press conference. (is associated with: «Tusk: Only 'idiots or traitors' in Poland should celebrate AfD win») Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk sharply criticised any celebration in Poland of the far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) after the party's strong showing in the eastern German state of Saxony‑Anhalt.
Latest projections put the AfD on about 44% of the vote in the state parliament contest centred on Magdeburg — narrowly short of an absolute majority of seats. Nevertheless, the party has already claimed a mandate to govern the state.
"In Poland, only idiots or traitors can rejoice at the triumph of the AfD in Germany," Tusk wrote, adding that he sees supporters of the AfD outcome among the Polish opposition groups Confederation and the former governing Law and Justice (PiS).
Reactions Across Neighbouring Countries
Responses in countries bordering Germany were more sympathetic. In Austria, Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Herbert Kickl hailed the result as evidence of political upheaval and drew an explicit comparison with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Kickl said voters in Saxony‑Anhalt had torn down what he described as the "undemocratic firewall" against the AfD and predicted the party could eventually secure a national breakthrough under co‑leader Alice Weidel.
In the Czech Republic, Parliament Speaker Tomio Okamura publicly congratulated the AfD on its success during a broadcast on CT. Okamura — leader of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party that is part of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš's governing coalition — said he hopes the AfD will join the regional governing coalition in Saxony‑Anhalt.
The result has sparked debate across Europe about the rise of populist and far‑right forces and what regional victories might mean for national politics in Germany and beyond.
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