On September 6, 2026, the voters of the Land of Saxony-Anhalt (about 2.1 million inhabitants, in eastern Germany) placed Alternative for Germany (AfD) firmly ahead in the regional elections. According to the provisional results published by the Land’s electoral authorities and reported by the German and international press (tagesschau, Reuters, BBC, DW, Wikipedia drawing on the Statistisches Landesamt), the AfD obtained 43.8% of the vote (or 43.79% according to the fine counts), far ahead of the CDU of outgoing Minister-President Sven Schulze, which collapses to 17.2%. The SPD, the Greens and Die Linke hover around 8.5-9.3%, the BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) crosses the 5% threshold with about 5.3%, and the FDP is eliminated. Turnout reaches a record level since reunification, around 77.8%. The AfD wins 39 seats out of 83 in the Magdeburg Landtag, three short of an absolute majority (42). Ulrich Siegmund, 35, charismatic lead candidate and co-chair of the local AfD parliamentary group, called the result “historic” and claimed a mandate to govern. It is the best score ever recorded by the AfD in a regional election and the highest for a party classified as far right in Germany since 1945. The Landesverfassungsschutz of Saxony-Anhalt classifies the local AfD branch as “confirmed right-wing extremist.” The local program notably mentions “remigration,” school segregation for refugee children, restrictions on LGBT+ symbols and cuts to public broadcasting. These elements are reported by several media (franceinfo, tagesschau, Le Parisien) on the basis of the program and statements. The central quotation in the franceinfo article – “Germany, because of its history, is a special case. If the far right is able to get elected there, then that means that something has really changed within European society” – is explicitly attributed to Sabine Volk, a researcher at the University of Tübingen specializing in the far right. It is a journalistic and academic analysis, not a measurable fact. The article also notes that the success could inspire other European parties by showing that progressive radicalization does not prevent winning, and that the mobilization of former abstainers played a role. These points fall under interpretation. Several European far-right leaders welcomed the result: Viktor Orbán (Hungary) spoke of a “memorable evening for Germany and Europe” on X, Santiago Abascal (Vox, Spain) of a “great hope,” Éric Zemmour (Reconquête) of an “hour of truth.” These statements are documented. By contrast, the French Rassemblement national maintained a cautious silence. Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella did not congratulate the AfD. The party had broken ties in 2024 after remarks by an AfD official relativizing the Waffen-SS. RN MPs (Philippe Balard, Jean-Philippe Tanguy) recalled “red lines” that had been crossed while taking note of the popular vote. An anonymous RN official cited by franceinfo sees it as a positive signal regarding the inability of traditional parties to curb the rise of the extremes. Georgia Meloni and Nigel Farage also remained discreet according to the article. On the German context side, the “cordon sanitaire” (Brandmauer) maintained by CDU, SPD, Greens and Linke against any coalition with the AfD remains in place. Discussions with the BSW or individual rallies are mentioned, but Siegmund has ruled out certain compromise formulas. No AfD government has been formed at this stage (early September 2026). The national impact is limited: Saxony-Anhalt represents a small share of the German population, and AfD scores remain lower in the West. National polls place the AfD around 25-28%. The causes of the success (deindustrialization, immigration, post-GDR nostalgia, unpopularity of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the federal coalition, effectiveness of Siegmund’s communication on social networks) are analyzed in a convergent way by the media, but remain multifactorial. Blind spots: the exact formation of the next regional executive is not settled; the lasting or local character of the shift is not yet measurable; French and European reactions are still partial. No evidence establishes a “global change in European society” beyond a trend already observed (rise of radical rights in several countries). Provisional conclusion: the AfD’s electoral victory in Saxony-Anhalt with 43.8% is an established and historic fact. The absence of an absolute majority and the maintenance of the cordon sanitaire make access to power uncertain. The quotation about “something has changed” is a relevant expert opinion but not verifiable as fact. The RN does indeed keep its distance for reasons of positioning and image. The franceinfo article faithfully conveys the scores and the debate, while sliding toward analysis and speculation on the “lessons” for other parties. The available evidence confirms the German regional earthquake without allowing one to conclude an immediate continental shift.