Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen says Moscow is “happy” with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning seats in recent German regional elections. She argues the results reflect more than one factor and says it would be wrong to attribute AfD’s success solely to “disinformation.”
Valtonen states that Russian influence efforts may interact with existing social tensions. In her account, disinformation can help convert dissatisfaction into political momentum by amplifying grievances and encouraging polarization. She frames this as a process in which broader public dissatisfaction exists independently, while messaging campaigns can intensify it.
Euronews reports Valtonen’s view in the context of continuing debates in Europe about foreign interference and the role of information operations in electoral outcomes. The outlet highlights her comments as an assessment of possible Russian reactions to AfD’s performance, rather than as a proven causal explanation for the election result itself.
