German foreign minister urges voters to back Ukraine, NATO as far right surges
Johann Wadephul invokes the collapse of the Weimar Republic as the AfD’s historic Saxony-Anhalt win sharpens Germany’s guns-versus-butter debate.
Berlin — German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul urged voters Thursday to support Ukraine and NATO, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surged in regional elections. Wadephul claimed NATO was undergoing a "political stress test" due to Russia's external threat and rising skepticism at home. He emphasized that Germany would continue backing Ukraine and argued that its support benefited European security.
The AfD won 43.8% in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election, nearly doubling its 2021 performance, and emerged as the second-largest party at 17.2% behind Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats. Wadephul argued that Germany must effectively communicate the importance of its commitments, drawing historical parallels to the collapse of the Weimar Republic.
During the campaign, AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund claimed Germany was "giving away money all over the world," specifically mentioning support for Ukraine: "Every minute, €20,000 goes to Ukraine. That is all money we are missing." This message is fueling an uncomfortable debate between defense spending and other public services in Berlin.
Germany plans to allocate around €140 billion on defense next year, nearly equaling the €145 billion federal contribution to the pension system. While NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte echoed Wadephul's message, he downplayed the impact of far-right gains on the alliance, stating that NATO would cooperate with any elected government.
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