New Delhi: The tragic incident at a Christmas market in Germany’s Magdeburg in which two people were killed by a car driven by a Saudi national has once again reignited debates about the immigration in Europe. Far-right leaders, from France’s Marine Le Pen to UK’s Nigel Farage, were quick to comment on the attack and the role of immigration.
The attack by the 50-year-old Saudi doctor has been termed, by far-right leaders, as a failure of European governments to safeguard their citizens. Taking to social media platform X, these leaders called out the violence in German market.
How the leaders reacted
– Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed shock over the incident, calling the attack a “brutal” act against innocent lives. “Violence must have no place in our democracies,” she said while extending condolences to the victims and their families.
– French far-right leader Marine Le Pen described the attack as “Islamist barbarity sowing terror in the heart of Europe”. She referred to the act as an assault on European civilisation and expressed her grief for the victims and their families.
– Reform UK leader Nigel Farage used the incident to criticise Europe’s immigration policies, suggesting that such attacks are a consequence of allowing people who “hate us and our values” into the continent. He linked the timing of the attack to Christmas, implying that European traditions and symbols were being deliberately targeted.
– Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban extended condolences to German chancellor Olaf Scholz and the people of Germany. He condemned the attack as a “heinous terrorist act” and offered prayers for the victims and their families.
– Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany’s far-right AfD party, called the incident “shocking” and expressed her thoughts for the bereaved and injured. “When will this madness end?” she asked.
– Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders echoed long-held sentiments about immigration, describing the attack as another example of “barbaric” violence in Europe. Wilders accused politicians of shedding “crocodile tears” and repeated his call for stricter border controls to prevent such tragedies.
– Elon Musk, CEO of X (formerly Twitter), weighed in with sharp criticism of German chancellor Olaf Scholz, calling him an “incompetent fool” and demanding his immediate resignation. Musk referred to the incident as “deliberate mass murder”.
