France, Sept. 19 -- The AfD won 43.8 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September, falling three seats short of an absolute majority in the state parliament.

The result has intensified debate about the strength of the democratic centre in Germany and beyond.

The AfD has received support from figures associated with United States President Donald Trump, including alt-right billionaire Elon Musk, while also positioning itself alongside Hungary's former leader Viktor Orban and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In France, Marine Le Pen is leading in polling ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with recent surveys giving her between 29 and 36 percent in the first round.

Against this backdrop, what does the AfD's breakthrough mea...