In the autumn of 2026, Germany's Alternative for Germany party claimed a decisive victory in Saxony-Anhalt, a state long shaped by the particular discontents of post-reunification life. The result was more than a regional outcome — it became a mirror in which observers across Europe saw reflected the broader restlessness of electorates who feel unheard by the political establishments that have governed them for generations. As 2026 elections approach across the continent, the question is no longer whether hard-right movements are rising, but how far and how fast that tide will carry.