GETTY Le Pen is hopeful that Merkel's loss will be her success

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Controversial politician Marine Le Pen said the demolition of the German leader in her own back yard by Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) has given her hopes of becoming the next French president a huge boost. The anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim AfD pushed Mrs Merkel’s ruling conservatives into third place in a humiliating regional election result in her own constituency this week.

GETTY Le Pen is hopeful that she will become president of France next year

What was impossible yesterday has become possible, the AFD patriots have swept away Merkel’s party. My congratulations Marine Le Pen

Ms Le Pen, whose father Jean-Marie founded the FN, is planning to run against Francois Hollande for the presidency next year and has polled strongly amid a wave of Islamist terror attacks in France. And welcoming the result in Germany today, she tweeted: “What was impossible yesterday has become possible, the AFD patriots have swept away Merkel’s party. My congratulations!” The AfD took over 21.9 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s election, pushing Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) into third place with a paltry 19 per cent of the vote.

The far-right party was only founded in 2013 as an anti-euro movement and has capitalised on a nationalist backlash against the German leader's welcome for more than a million migrants last year. Following the disastrous results Mrs Merkel came under intense pressure to perform a u-turn over her controversial refugee policy. After they were announced Mrs Merkel said: “We must all reflect on what we can do to build confidence among Germans and, of course, in me.”

GETTY Frauke Petry is the co-head of the AfD

Germany's leading lady did, however, stand by her decision to have a leniant migrant policy. She has taken on responsibility for the party’s election defeat, saying: “I am the party chair, I am the Chancellor. In the eyes of the people, this cannot be separated. And therefore, Iam of course also responsible.” The German chancellor’s decision to welcome migrants into her country has left her increasingly isolated in Europe and exposed her to heavy criticism in Germany.

Marion Le Pen in pictures Tue, May 9, 2017 Marion Maréchal-Le Pen, niece of defeated French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and a National Front lawmaker, announced that she will not run for re-election in the June legislative elections Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 13 Marion Marechal-Le Pen will announce that she leaves her political mandates, according to the far-right National Front

The AfD's lead candidate Leif-Erik Holm has called the result a "proud result for a young party”. Like the AfD, Le Pen’s National Front is opposed to open-door immigration policy and is sceptical of the European Union, which it sees as a threat to France’s national identity.

GETTY Le Pen has promised France its own referendum