PARIS, Sept 7 (Reuters) - French government ministers expressed their worries on Monday over the impact of the victory of far-right party Alternative for Germany in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on Sunday.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party surged into first place in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections, exit polls showed, putting a far-right party within reach of power at the state level for the first time since World War Two.
"It clearly sends out a very, very worrying signal," French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told RTL radio.
"This shows that we face a major challenge in the face of a populist wave which is spreading around the world today and which we must resist," added Lescure.
Lescure's views echoed similar comments made late on Sunday by France's European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad.
"To see the far-right prevail in the German regional election marks a very grave moment for Europe," he wrote on X.
"We must listen with humility to the anger, fears and worries and duly respond to these concerns. But nationalism and xenophobia will never be the answer," added Haddad.
(Reporting by Inti Landauro;Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)