On October 7, 2025, the Russian embassy in Berlin hosted a celebration for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 73rd birthday, attended by key German far-right figures. Among the guests were Jürgen Elsässer, editor-in-chief of the right-wing magazine COMPACT, and three members of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party: Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, Florian Schröder, and Frank Otto Lisurek, along with former state AfD leader André Poggenburg.
Gifts and praise highlight ideological alignment
Elsässer presented Russian Ambassador Sergey Nechayev with a collage of COMPACT magazine covers featuring Putin, describing the Russian president as a “patriot” and “statesman.” He criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for not visiting Moscow to offer personal congratulations. Nechayev thanked Elsässer for the gift, noting the importance of ensuring the Russian perspective reaches the public. The event also promoted Elsässer’s “Patriot Putin” silver medal, with 3,800 units sold at €75 each.
AfD’s pro-Russian stance on display
The celebration emphasizes AfD’s long-standing rhetoric favoring “peace with Russia” and opposing sanctions. Publicly honoring an authoritarian leader linked to war crimes risks normalizing support for such figures and blurring democratic boundaries. The presence of AfD politicians at the embassy provides Moscow with a symbolic showcase of sympathetic political forces within Europe.
Domestic criticism and political consequences
Other German parties sharply criticized the AfD’s involvement. CDU parliamentary leader Guido Höyer said that parts of the AfD “have lost touch with the free democratic order.” FDP leader Andreas Zilbersack commented that the party must clarify “whether they side with Putin or Trump.” The AfD holds 151 of 630 Bundestag seats and remains the largest opposition force. A recent poll showed 26% support for the party, highlighting its rising influence while coalition parties CDU/CSU and SPD face declining popularity.
Potential impact on German politics
The AfD’s growth raises concerns for political stability, fueled by dissatisfaction with the government’s migration and economic policies. Analysts warn that pro-Russian far-right forces gaining influence could shape Germany’s foreign policy. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the AfD as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization, though the party is challenging this designation in the Administrative Court of Cologne, temporarily suspending the classification until a final ruling.
COMPACT’s controversial role
COMPACT magazine, briefly banned in July 2024 for distributing racist and anti-Semitic material, had the prohibition overturned by Germany’s Federal Administrative Court nearly a year later, citing constitutional guarantees of free speech and press, even for actors considered “enemies of the constitution.” Elsässer continues to play a central role in Germany’s “New Right” and right-wing extremist networks.
