The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), a far-right, pro-Russian, and anti-immigration party, secured nearly 44% of the vote in the recent state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, more than doubling its previous share and outperforming the Christian Democrats. The vote took place last Sunday in the largely rural region of the former East Germany, underscoring a growing trend of far-right normalization within the country.

This development reflects a broader global pattern of democratic erosion. In 2025, approximately one in four countries worldwide experienced democratic backsliding, with Europe and North America accounting for six of the ten nations newly classified as autocratising, including Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Observers note that similar trends are emerging in other democracies, including Australia.

Research conducted in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, another predominantly rural region in northeastern Germany where the AfD maintains significant support, highlights the complex and often subtle ways in which far-right ideas take root. Despite the increasing popularity of the far right, visible expressions such as graffiti and stickers directly linked to these movements were relatively rare. Instead, anti-fascist messages dominated public spaces, often featuring vibrant and clear declarations opposing right-wing extremism.

However, an undercurrent of intolerance was present in the active defacement of anti-fascist and pro-refugee materials. This suggests that far-right sentiment has shifted away from overt displays toward more nuanced and embedded forms of influence. Experts warn that as far-right ideologies move from the margins into mainstream political discourse, their extremism becomes less visible and more difficult to identify, gradually altering societal norms regarding acceptable political views.

This transformation challenges common perceptions, particularly in Australia, where far-right groups are often imagined as fringe elements engaging in conspicuous acts of violence or intimidation. Instead, far-right politicians across Europe, including those in the AfD, often present themselves as polished and mainstream, delivering straightforward and repeatable messages amplified through social and digital media. These strategies contribute to their growing electoral success and lend a veneer of legitimacy to previously radical positions.

Australian minor parties like One Nation, while differing in style and context from the AfD, share comparable political themes centered around exclusion, national restoration, and distrust. Recent electoral gains by One Nation in byelections such as Farrer and Secret Harbour have drawn attention to the expanding influence of right-wing populism in Australia.

Analysts suggest that the increasing appeal of far-right ideas is connected to broader anxieties about the future, including the intensifying impacts of climate change and social disruption. These challenges fuel desires for certainty and belonging, often expressed as a nostalgic yearning for a perceived better past. Experts caution that such fears can be exploited to deepen social divisions unless there is a critical examination of power structures, decision-making processes, and the distribution of societal burdens.

Dr. Charlotte Feakins, a heritage researcher and lecturer at the University of Sydney, emphasizes the need for heightened awareness and critical thinking about where power resides and who benefits from current political and economic systems, warning that failure to do so risks further entrenching exclusionary and divisive political movements.