terça-feira, 28 de abril de 2026
Germany's Far-Right Party Leading National Polls with 28% Support
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Germany's
Far-Right Party Leading National Polls with 28% Support
In an
unprecedented shift in German politics, the far-right Alternative for Germany
(AfD) has surged to a record 28% support in national polling as of late April
2026. This latest survey, conducted by the INSA institute, places the party
four percentage points ahead of the ruling conservative bloc, marking a
historic high for the right-wing populist group.
Current
Polling Snapshot (April 20–24, 2026)
The poll
reflects a growing public concern over immigration, security, and economic
instability.
Party Support Level Change
from Previous Week
AfD 28% +1%
CDU/CSU
(Conservatives) 24% Unchanged
SPD
(Social Democrats) 14% Unchanged
Greens 12% -1%
The Left 11% Unchanged
Key
Implications
Government
in Trouble: The ruling coalition under Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) would
currently lack a parliamentary majority. To maintain power, they might be
forced into broader, more fragile "grand coalitions" including the
Greens or The Left to bypass the AfD.
The
"Firewall" Debate: While major parties continue to rule out any
cooperation with the AfD, the party's leading position makes it increasingly
difficult to form a government without them.
State
Election Momentum: This national lead comes as five German states prepare for
elections in 2026, where the AfD is expected to make significant gains,
particularly in eastern states like Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western
Pomerania.
REMEMBERING May 22, 2024 - French RN breaks with German AfD
French RN
breaks with German AfD
Rassemblement
National’s (RN) President Jordan Bardella announced on Tuesday that the party
will end the alliance with his German counterpart Alternative for Germany
(AfD), a fellow member of the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group.
Politics
Paul
Messad
EURACTIV.fr
French
far right party RN launches European parliament election campaign in Marseille
“I
confirm that we will no longer sit together. The AfD has crossed red lines,”
Bardella said in a debate on French TV channel LCI Tuesday evening.
[EPA-EFE/Guillaume Horcajuelo]
Rassemblement
National’s (RN) President Jordan Bardella announced on Tuesday that the party
will end the alliance with his German counterpart Alternative for Germany
(AfD), a fellow member of the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group.
“I
confirm that we will no longer sit together. The AfD has crossed red lines,”
Bardella said in a debate on French TV channel LCI Tuesday (21 May) evening.
This
decision follows what the French far-right party RN deems a problematic comment
of AfD’s European election lead candidate, Maximilian Krah.
“I
wouldn’t say that anyone wearing an SS uniform is automatically a criminal”,
Krah told the Italian press on Saturday (18 May) about the Nazi’s elite assault
paramilitary troops.
Bardella
answered clearly: “As a result, the RN will have new allies after the
elections. The European Parliament groups will be reset to zero after the 9
June ballot.”
The last
drop
This is
not the AfD party’s first scandal involving Nazi history. In April, a German
court imposed a €13,000 fine on AfD’s leading figure Björn Höcke for using on
several occasions the nazi slogan “Alles für Deutschland” (“Everything for
Germany”).
The
relationship between the ID group’s second-largest delegation RN and the third
one, AfD, has been deteriorating for months.
Recently,
revelations by the German media Correctiv of a meeting in Potsdam involving
ultra-right group and AfD’s members to talk about a programme of “remigration”
– i.e. effective deportation – of immigrants and Germans of foreign origin
added fuel to the fire.
RN leader
Marine Le Pen asked her German allies to shed all necessary light on the matter
and question their alliance.
These
discussions preceded suspicions of foreign interference in the AfD’s ranks,
including Krah and his team and Chinese espionage, and MP Petr Bystron and
Russian espionage.
Reshuffle
in sight
However,
when questioned by Euractiv, RN said no decision could be taken before the
results of June’s 6-9 European election, which would determine the future
balance and management of the different parties.
In simple
terms, a poor result from the AfD would ensure it would be ostracised by the
RN. However, according to Europe Elects data for Euractiv, the party currently
has 17% of voting intentions, making it the second-strongest force in Germany.
But the
RN, which leads the latest polls in France with 32% of votes intentions, is now
refusing to sit with AfD after the elections.
As a
result, “it’s obvious that the composition and layout of the groups will be
different after 9 June,” Bardella campaign director and RN MP Alexandre Loubet
tells Euractiv.
In a more
general approach, “ID could also merge with another group, a new group could
emerge, etc. For the moment, there’s no hierarchy in the future strategy,” he
added.
“We are
talking to a huge number of parties, as evidenced by our participation in the
EuropaViva event”, i.e. the conservative rally organised on 17-19 May in Madrid
by the far-right Spanish party Vox sitting in the Conservative group ECR.
Le Pen on
tour
Le Pen
was in the front row all throughout the main event, prominently positioned
between Vox party president Santiago Abascal and its lead candidate for the EU
elections, Jorge Buxadé.
Le Pen
also took advantage of the opportunity to meet the vice president of Hungarian
Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s Fidesz party, Kinga Gal. Fidesz and its 12 MEPs
are not members of any group in the Parliament for the moment, and it is
unclear which group they will join after the elections.
No AfD
representatives took part in the event, or the most recent European
conservative events held in Brussels and Budapest in April.
“The
parties are free to invite whomever they like. In fact, there are quite a few
reservations about some of the AfD’s firm positions. We take note of this,”
Thibaut François, secretary general of the ID group and RN MP, told Euractiv.
The
rupture measure taken by the RN has been communicated to all delegations of the
ID group, Loubet informed Euractiv.
The ID
group’s leading Italian party, La Lega, told the press that “as always, Matteo
Salvini and Marine Le Pen are perfectly aligned and in agreement.”
(Paul
Messad | Euractiv.fr, Alessia Peretti and Kjeld Neubert contributed to the
article)
May 22,
2024 - 07:08
Last
updated: Oct 1, 2024 - 17:41
Jordan Bardella, the 30-year-old leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) and current front-runner for the 2027 presidential election, has pledged that his first official trip as president would be to Brussels to confront what he describes as "excessive" German influence within the European Union.
France’s
Bardella vows showdown over German influence in the EU
Jordan
Bardella, the 30-year-old leader of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) and
current front-runner for the 2027 presidential election, has pledged that his
first official trip as president would be to Brussels to confront what he
describes as "excessive" German influence within the European Union.
Key
Points of the Stated "Showdown"
Bardella’s
strategy marks a shift from seeking a "Frexit" (leaving the EU) to
reforming the bloc from within by prioritizing French national interests:
Challenging
Germany's Role: Bardella has explicitly criticized Germany's purported
dominance over EU institutions and regulations. He argues that existing EU
norms often favor German interests while harming French workers, farmers, and
businesses.
National
Sovereignty First: He envisions a "Europe of Nations" where member
states regain control over critical issues like immigration, energy, and border
security.
Economic
Interests: Bardella intends to push for a significant reduction in EU
bureaucracy and regulations, which he claims act as an "additional layer
of bureaucracy" weakening French economic actors.
Immediate
Action: By making Brussels his first destination, Bardella intends to send a
clear signal that a National Rally presidency would represent a "decisive
break" from the tradition of the Franco-German engine that has
historically led the EU.
Broader
Political Context
Polling
Strength: Bardella is currently polling as high as 38% for the first round of
the 2027 election, making him the clear favorite to reach the final run-off.
Internal
EU Relations: This "confrontational" stance is likely to create
significant friction with the European Commission and Berlin, especially
regarding shared defense projects and the EU’s Common Foreign and Security
Policy.
Strategic
Distancing: Notably, while attacking German influence in Brussels, Bardella's
party has also cut ties with the German far-right party AfD (Alternative for
Germany) in the European Parliament to soften its image for moderate voters.
France’s Bardella vows showdown over German influence in the EU
France’s
Bardella vows showdown over German influence in the EU
The
30-year-old leader of the far-right National Rally party wants to fight
Germany’s purported influence over Europe.
April 27,
2026 12:40 pm CET
By Victor
Goury-Laffont
PARIS —
French far-right presidential front-runner Jordan Bardella said his first trip
as president would be to Brussels, promising a confrontation with the European
Commission over what he describes as excessive German influence in EU
institutions.
“Our
first trip will be to Brussels, where we will defend our country’s interests in
order to regain the comparative advantages that other European countries are
already enjoying,” Bardella told hard-right Sunday newspaper Le Journal du
Dimanche, accusing the EU of having “made France its trade adjustment variable
in order to satisfy German interests.”
Bardella
is expected to be the far-right National Rally’s candidate in next year’s
presidential election to replace term-limited Emmanuel Macron. Recent polling
has shown him with a comfortable lead in the first round of voting and a chance
of winning the runoff.
The last
three French presidents, on the left and right — Nicolas Sarkozy, François
Hollande and Macron — chose Germany for their first official trips as heads of
state, cementing the post-war French-German friendship born out of the 1963
Élysée Treaty.
A
Bardella presidency would mark a clear break from that tradition from day one.
The
30-year-old nationalist has at times taken a softer approach to the EU than his
party’s previous candidate, Marine Le Pen, who, until 2017, advocated for
France to leave the European Union. Bardella said in December that he does not
support a so-called Frexit and would instead seek to impose the French agenda
in Brussels.
Bardella
told Le Journal du Dimanche that his vision for the EU was “a powerful Europe,
but a different one … capable of shouldering the major industrial challenges of
the 21st century — artificial intelligence, technology and space exploration”
while defending the “national sovereignties” of each member state.
The
National Rally’s euroskepticism has also been a point of friction with France’s
business elites, whom the far-right party is now trying to court ahead of the
next election. But according to Bardella, taking on Brussels would also favor
French economic interests by reducing EU norms and regulations.
“Many
economic actors feel that the European Union is, above all, an additional layer
of bureaucracy that weakens us,” he said.
he relationship between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President Donald Trump has shifted from a strategic "special relationship" to a significant political liability in early 2026.
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Giorgia
Meloni clung to her relationship with Trump – now it’s starting to look like a
liability
The
relationship between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and U.S. President
Donald Trump has shifted from a strategic "special relationship" to a
significant political liability in early 2026. While Meloni once positioned
herself as the "Trump whisperer" within Europe, a series of
international crises and personal attacks has forced her to distance herself
from Washington.
The
Breaking Point: War in Iran and Religious Tensions
The most
critical rupture occurred following the outbreak of the U.S.-led war in Iran in
February 2026.
Refusal
to Join Military Action: Meloni refused to join the U.S. naval blockade in the
Strait of Hormuz or participate in military strikes against Iran.
Personal
Fallout: Following her refusal, Trump publicly lashed out at Meloni in April
2026, calling her "weak" and lacking "courage". He stated
in an interview that she was "no longer the same person".
Defense
of the Pope: Tensions peaked when Trump criticized Pope Leo XIV for calling for
peace, labeling the pontiff "unacceptable". Meloni, whose political
identity is deeply rooted in Catholic values, rushed to the Pope's defense,
further alienating herself from Trump.
Domestic
Political Fallout
Meloni's
association with Trump has increasingly become a weight in Italian domestic
politics:
Referendum
Defeat: In March 2026, Meloni’s government suffered a crushing defeat in a
constitutional referendum on judicial reform. Analysts view this as a proxy
vote on her leadership and her alignment with Trump's unpopular foreign
policies.
Public
Sentiment: Recent polling shows that 80% of Italians now hold an unfavorable
view of Trump, largely due to rising energy prices and the economic instability
caused by the Iran war.
"Liability"
Status: Critics and even some former allies now see her closeness to Trump as
an "anchor hanging from her neck", offering few tangible policy gains
while carrying immense political cost.
Strategic
Pivot to Europe
Faced
with domestic pressure and a hostile White House, Meloni is repositioning Italy
closer to its European partners:
Realignment
with Brussels: Meloni is increasingly coordinating with the EU on security and
trade, moving away from the bilateral "bridge" role she once sought.
Trade
Tensions: Despite initial hopes for a deal, Trump's imposition of
tariffs—specifically those related to Greenland and broader transatlantic
trade—has forced Meloni to join EU-wide pushbacks against Washington.
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