By bne IntelliNews Mainstream politicians across Central and Southeast Europe have expressed relief at the outcome of Germany's general election, which saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) make gains but ultimately fall short of securing victory.

We sought to seed the accounts with an equal interest in Germany’s four major parties – the Christian Democrats (CDU), Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Greens, by clicking follow on one of their official party accounts and their leader’s account and watching content.

The success of the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is a sign of the times. Across Europe, far-right parties once on the fringe have gone mainstream.