AfD becomes most popular party in Germany for first time

Published April 9, 2025 12:23pm ET



A new poll shows the Alternative für Deutschland is now Germany’s most popular political party, marking another turning point for the right-wing group’s rise.

The anti-immigration, populist AfD reached a historic milestone Wednesday when the poll found it was the most popular party in Germany for the first time. The party had already surged to second place in the February Bundestag election, a rise fueled by former Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s 2015 decision to welcome more than a million migrants and economic troubles. Founded in 2013, AfD won 4.7% in its first Bundestag election — just shy of the 5% threshold needed to enter parliament.

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