Estimated Number of Seats in the German Parliament After Today’s Elections

The AfD made significant gains, but the party had expected a better result, especially after a major advertising campaign by Elon Musk and Trump’s VP, JD Vance. Some political analysts believe that the party’s excessive focus on pro-Russia narratives may have hurt its electoral performance.

During the campaign, the AfD stated that one of its first measures would be to block all aid for Ukraine’s defense against the Russian invasion and restore full economic, diplomatic, and trade ties with Vladimir Putin.

The AfD saw strong growth when its primary focus was combating illegal immigration, but its momentum stalled and slightly declined when it shifted toward pro-Russia messaging. This strategy worked well in former East Germany, but in the rest of the country, the average German voter became wary and distanced themselves from the party.