Explainer

The AfD Is Now Germany’s Main Opposition Party. Here’s What to Expect

An AfD logo sculpture during the Alternative for Germany (AfD) general election campaign launch in Halle, Germany, on Jan. 25.

Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg

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By Christoph Rauwald and Arne Delfs

February 27, 2025 at 7:44 AM EST

When Elon Musk posted on X in December that the only thing that could “save Germany” was the AfD, he was embracing a political force that has moved steadily to the extreme right since it was founded in 2013.

The anti-immigrant, pro-Russian party will now become the main opposition bloc in the Berlin parliament after securing 20.8% of the vote in a Feb. 23 election, double its share at the last national ballot in 2021.