Far right’s rise in rapidly re-arming Germany gives Poland cause for concern

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski expressed concern over the rising influence of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Germany, warning that the party's electoral gains could pose a security risk for Europe. The AfD, a far-right party, secured a record 43.8 percent in the recent Saxony-Anhalt election, more than doubling its 2021 result. This surge in popularity has raised alarms for Poland, a country that suffered heavily under Nazi Germany during World War II.

In an interview with German outlet Handelsblatt, Sikorski emphasized the importance of Germany playing a strong role in securing common security under democratic leadership. However, he cautioned that a rearmed Germany in the hands of a far-right, pro-Russian party like the AfD could have dire consequences. Poland's Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, echoed similar sentiments, labeling celebration of the AfD's victory as "idiocy or treason" in Poland.

Under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Germany's center-right Christian Democratic Union suffered its worst-ever result in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, dropping to 17.2 percent. Merz had previously pledged to turn the Bundeswehr, Germany's military, into "the strongest conventional army in Europe." Germany's military spending reached $114 billion last year, nearly matching the combined defense budgets of France and Poland.

The AfD has softened its stance on Russia recently, calling for an end to German weapons deliveries to Ukraine and a rollback of sanctions against Moscow. However, the party remains in opposition at the federal level, adhering to a firewall in place to prevent a repeat of the events leading to Adolf Hitler's Nazi party gaining power in the 1930s.