French minister calls AfD’s victory a grave moment, warning of growing nationalism and its impact on European unity.The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has won the regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to preliminary results.AfD is set to secure 39 seats at the state parliament in Magdeburg, just short of the 42 seats needed for a majority.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Germans vote in eastern state as far-right AfD eyes powerlist 2 of 3German far-right AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt election, falls short of majoritylist 3 of 3Can AfD form Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II?end of listThe results drew a mixed response around the world, with far-right parties welcoming the news and some governments raising concerns.Here’s how the world reacted:United States President Donald TrumpTrump, in a post on Truth Social, said that the populist party had had a “really big night”.He attributed the results to “horrible” immigration policies that “have hurt Germany so badly”.“THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore!”French officialsFinance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL radio on Monday that the AfD victory sends a “very, very worrying signal” to Europe.He said the continent is facing “a major challenge in the face of a populist wave”, which is “spreading around the world today” and that “we must resist”.European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad said the results mark “a very grave moment for Europe” and that “nationalism and xenophobia will never be the answer”.“We cannot forget our history,” he added.Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro SanchezSanchez said that the “far-right threat” is spreading in Europe and that the German state election result is a “warning” of a bigger political shift, Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported.“What we saw yesterday in Saxony is a warning, and I think also a confirmation: a warning that the far-right threat, thanks largely to the surrender of the traditional right, is gaining ground in Europe and the world,” he said.Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s far-right Vox party“Congratulations, Alice Weidel and Ulrich Siegmund, on this spectacular result, which represents great hope for Germany and Europe,” Abascal wrote on X.Weidel is the AfD’s co-leader, while Siegmund is the AfD’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt.Andre Ventura, leader of Portugal’s far-right Chega partyVentura said the result was a “historic victory”.“Germans are also increasingly opening their eyes to illegal and uncontrolled immigration, corruption and the appropriation of our freedom and identity. Congratulations!” he wrote on X.Poland’s prime minister and foreign minister“In Poland, only idiots or traitors could rejoice the AfD triumph in Germany,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in a statement on X.Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said the fact that the far-right party gained close to a majority was an alarming sign.“It seems they’re just a few votes short of an absolute majority, but this is indeed a very worrying sign,” he told Radio ⁠Vox FM.Elon MuskBusinessman Elon Musk welcomed the results in a statement on X, simply stating “Gut gemacht!” which translates to “well done” in German.Siegmund, the AfD’s lead candidate, proceeded to personally thank Musk on X for his “support” and “clear and highly important perspective” on the “political developments of our time”.