Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Putin Blames West for Europe’s Turmoil After AfD Victory
Vladimir Putin said Europe is facing problems because Western leaders made serious mistakes.
He said these mistakes happened in politics, security and the economy.
His comments came after the AfD won a major election in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The AfD received much more support than the Christian Democratic Union there.
However, it did not win enough seats to govern alone.
Other major German parties still refuse to form coalitions with the AfD.
The AfD is also leading in a poll in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Former Chancellor Angela Merkel said political leaders helped blur the difference between truth and lies and acknowledged that some past decisions contributed to the AfD’s rise.
Vladimir Putin attributed Europe’s political turmoil to what he called the West’s “systemic mistakes” in politics, security and the economy.
Putin made the comments during the BRICS Summit days after the Alternative for Germany won Saxony-Anhalt’s state election.
The AfD received 44.5% in reported exit polls, compared with 18.5% for the Christian Democratic Union.
The AfD fell short of an absolute majority and has never joined a governing coalition in Germany.
A poll in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania also placed the AfD three percentage points ahead of its nearest rival.
- Who
- Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Alternative for Germany, Germany’s established political parties and former Chancellor Angela Merkel.
- What
- Putin blamed Western “globalists” for Europe’s turmoil as the AfD gained political momentum after winning Saxony-Anhalt’s election.
- When
- Putin made the comments on Saturday at the BRICS Summit; the Saxony-Anhalt election took place earlier this month.
- Where
- The comments were made on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit; the elections and polling discussed concern Germany, including Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
- Why
- Putin said Europe’s problems resulted from Western mistakes following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Putin and AfD supporters
Western and mainstream-party perspective
Cause of Europe’s turmoil
Putin and AfD supporters
Putin attributed Europe’s political, security and economic problems to systemic mistakes by Western globalists, especially after the Cold War.
Western and mainstream-party perspective
The article presents no unified Western response, but Germany’s mainstream parties have continued to oppose cooperation with the AfD.
Meaning of the AfD result
Putin and AfD supporters
AfD figures described the Saxony-Anhalt result as historic and as evidence of a voter mandate for fundamental political change.
Western and mainstream-party perspective
The AfD won the most votes but lacked an absolute majority, and other parties’ refusal to cooperate leaves its ability to govern unresolved.
Responsibility for the AfD’s rise
Putin and AfD supporters
The AfD has framed its gains as a rejection of established political forces and their policies.
Western and mainstream-party perspective
Angela Merkel acknowledged that decisions made during her time in office contributed to growing support for the AfD, while warning that truth and lies are increasingly blurred by people in power.
- Saxony-Anhalt AfD result
- Reported ARD exit polls put the AfD at 44.5%.
- Saxony-Anhalt CDU result
- The Christian Democratic Union was reported at 18.5%.
- Government formation
- The AfD fell short of an absolute majority in the state parliament.
- Coalition record
- The AfD has never been part of a governing coalition in any German state or at the federal level.
- Political barrier
- Mainstream parties have maintained a refusal to cooperate with the AfD, a position known as the “firewall.”
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania poll
- The AfD was reported to be three percentage points ahead of its nearest rival.