Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has branded those in Poland celebrating the election victory of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt as "idiots and traitors".
The centrist leader said that many of those welcoming the AfD's success could be found within two Polish opposition parties: the Confederation (Konfederacja) and the former governing Law and Justice Party (PiS).
France warns against nationalism
French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad described the result as a "serious moment for Europe" and stressed the importance of defending democratic values and the European project.
"We must listen with humility to anger, concern and fears, and provide answers. But nationalism and xenophobia are never the solution," Haddad said.
He added that Europe could not afford to forget its history, arguing that this principle underpins the choices made by France and Germany since the Second World War.
Support from European far-right parties
Elsewhere in Europe, ideological allies of the AfD welcomed the result.
Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), said the outcome signalled political change in Germany.
"From today, the strong wind of freedom from 1989 is once again blowing through Germany," he said, drawing parallels with the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Kickl argued that voters had torn down the political "firewall" maintained against the AfD and said he looked forward to seeing Alice Weidel become German chancellor.
Czech congratulations
In the Czech Republic, parliamentary speaker Tomio Okamura publicly congratulated the AfD on its victory during an appearance on state television.
He also expressed hope that the party would form part of the next governing coalition in Saxony-Anhalt.
Okamura's Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) movement is part of the governing coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš.
