German Ambassador Jasper Wieck says recent far-right gains in regional elections will not affect thriving India-Germany ties, highlighting continued cooperation on migration, mobility, technology, development, defence and the EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
German Ambassador to India Jasper Wieck on Wednesday said recent electoral gains by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in regional elections would have no impact on the “thriving” partnership between India and Germany. He said bilateral cooperation would continue across areas including migration, mobility, technology, development, defence and the proposed EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Wieck addressed concerns raised in India following recent elections in the German states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, as well as in Berlin, the German capital. The elections saw significant gains for the AfD, prompting questions over whether the changing political landscape at the regional level could affect Germany’s international partnerships.
“The question that many of my Indian friends have asked me is whether these election results will have an impact on Indo-German relations,” Wieck said, referring specifically to cooperation on migration and mobility, technological cooperation, development cooperation and the EU-India Free Trade Agreement.
His response was categorical: the regional election results would not affect the bilateral relationship. “My answer is no. They will have no impact on our thriving Indo-German partnership,” he said.
The AfD recorded a major result in Saxony-Anhalt, securing 44.5 per cent of the vote, according to the figures cited by the envoy. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had secured 37.1 per cent in the 2021 election, fell to 18.5 per cent. The AfD was projected to hold 39 of the 83 seats in the state parliament, leaving it three seats short of an absolute majority.
The party also made substantial gains in the September 20 elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin. Deutsche Welle reported that, despite its gains in both regions, the AfD remained without a straightforward route to forming a state government in either.
Explaining why the regional results would not alter Germany’s strategic relationship with India, Wieck pointed to the division of responsibilities between Germany’s federal government and its individual states. He said foreign policy, security policy, migration policy, and economic and trade policy are conducted within the framework of Germany’s Constitution and federal legislation.
According to the ambassador, regional governments do not possess the authority to independently determine these federal policies. He also noted that the AfD had not obtained a governing majority in any of the three states where elections were recently held.
Instead, Wieck said governments in the states would continue to be formed through Germany’s established democratic and constitutional processes.
The ambassador also highlighted the expanding defence and security relationship between India and Germany. He pointed to a series of German naval deployments and military engagements with India as evidence of the growing cooperation between the two countries.
German naval vessels, including the Bayern, Frankfurt am Main and Rheinland-Pfalz, have made port visits to India, while German maritime and air forces have participated in military exercises in the country, Wieck said.
He further announced that Germany is scheduled to participate in an Air Force exercise with India the following week, with the German Air Force deploying an A400M aircraft. The planned participation comes amid broader efforts by the two countries to strengthen defence and security cooperation.
The comments come at a time when Germany’s domestic political landscape is undergoing significant change. Recent state elections have increased the visibility and electoral strength of the AfD, while Germany’s mainstream political parties face pressure over economic, social and federal policy issues. Reuters reported that the AfD emerged as the strongest party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and achieved a strong result in Berlin, adding to pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his CDU.
Despite these developments at the regional level, Wieck maintained that the institutional framework governing Germany’s federal policies provides continuity for international partnerships. For India, he indicated that ongoing areas of cooperation with Germany would therefore remain on track.
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The ambassador’s remarks also underline the distinction between Germany’s regional election outcomes and its federal responsibilities in foreign affairs, trade, migration and security. With defence engagement continuing and cooperation extending to technology, development, mobility and trade, Wieck said the India-Germany partnership remains on a strong trajectory despite the changing political dynamics within Germany.
