Through calls to ban Muslims from the US and build walls across the Mexican border, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has become the poster boy for an anti-immigration rhetoric sweeping through Western politics.

And now, a far-right German party gaining popularity amid Europe’s refugee crisis, is also announcing some equally, if not more, extreme policies.

Alternative for Germany (AfD), formed three years ago by a group of economists, has struck a chord with Germans who are dissatisfied with conventional politics, particularly Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door policy for refugees.

Originally created in opposition to German-backed bailouts for poorer Eurozone members, AfD has developed an anti-immigration stance over the past year, bolstered by its current leader Frauke Petry.

Alternative for Germany (AfD) has held protest marches as part of its election campaign (EPA)

Initially considered a right-wing fringe group, the party has made huge gains in popularity since the refugee crisis hit the EU and on Sunday the group powered into three state legislatures.

In Saxony-Anhalt the party won 24 per cent of the vote to become the second-biggest party in the state parliament.

The rise of AfD in Germany mirrors growing support for other populist politicians such as France’s Front National leader Marine Le Pen and Mr Trump; and with one German newspaper comparing statements made by Mr Trump and Ms Petry, it appears AfD are using similar headline-grabbing tactics to those of the billionaire tycoon.

'German police should shoot at migrants'

While the Republican frontrunner has suggested the US build walls across borders to keep out migrants, Ms Petry has suggested even more extreme measures should be taken to halt the entrance of refugees into Germany.

In January, Ms Petry sparked huge backlash from left-wing parties and German police after saying authorities should, “if necessary”, shoot at migrants who attempt to enter the country illegally from Austria.

She told Mannheimer Morgen newspaper: "I don't want this either. But the use of armed force is there as a last resort."

The comments brought widespread condemnation, and led to an attempt by the mayor of Ausburg in Bavaria to stop her speaking in the city's town hall, claiming her comments were unconstitutional.

The AfD politician Dubravko Mandic was also criticised for posting a video on Facebook showing soldiers shooting at civilians behind a fence, Spielgel Online reports.

Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images

'Germans should have more children'

As the national spokeswoman for Germany’s Eurosceptics, Ms Petry's ideas have often advocated "traditional" Christian values, which it claims are threatened by mass immigration, the International Business Times reports.

"More children for German families" is one of the party's most well-known ideologies and Ms Petry has previously suggested German women should have more children in order to avoid the need for immigration, the Bloomberg Times reports.

The suggestions have come under fire from rival parties, with Sigmar Gabriel, the Vice Chancellor of Germany, dubbing "Petry's call for all women to have at least three children," one of the politician’s "bizarre demands".

AfD politician Heinrich Fiechtner has previously spoken of an "attack on the German people" in reference to the refugee crisis.

Angela Merkel is the 'worst Chancellor in history'

Following the party’s staggering results on Sunday, Andre Ponnenburg, AfD leader in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, launched a scathing attack against Ms Merkel, describing her as the “worst Chancellor in German history”.

The comment has sparked intense backlash, with many highlighting Mr Ponnenburg’s suggestion Ms Merkel is worse than former Chancellor and Dictator Adolf Hitler, who during his time in power constructed a genocide which killed around six million Jews.

In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany A police officer talks to a counterprotestor at the sidelines of right-wing movement 'Baergida' (Berlin Patriots against the islamization of the Occident), a Berlin version of Pegida (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the Occident), protest in Berlin In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany Participants of right-wing movement 'Baergida' (Berlin Patriots against the islamization of the Occident), a Berlin version of Pegida (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the Occident), protest in Berlin In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany People protest against right-wing initiative Pegida with a sign reading 'Stop agitation against Islam' in Berlin In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany Participants of the 'Alliance against Racism' demonstrate against right-wing initiative Pegida (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the Occident) in Berlin. Counterdemonstrations against racism and xenophobia have been planned in Dresden, Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart. The demonstrations staged by the anti-Islamic Pegida movement produce a series of slogans arguing that Germany is taking in too many foreigners, that the social structures are about to collapse due to the rising number of asylum-seekers, and that there is the threat of an 'Islamisation of the Occident' In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany German Justice Minister Heiko Maas takes part in a protest against the march of a grass-roots anti-Muslim movement in Berlin. The rise of the group, Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (Pegida), has shaken Germany's political establishment In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany The lighting of the Brqandenburg Gate was switched off to make a statement against racism as People protest against right-wing initiative Pegida in Berlin In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany A left wing activist struggles with the riot police during a protest against a planed march of the Pegida movement in their first Berlin demonstration, which they have dubbed 'Baergida' In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany People protest against right-wing initiative Pegida in Hamburg In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany People protest against right-wing initiative Pegida in Munich In pictures: Anti-Pegida protesters Germany People protest against right-wing initiative Pegida in Stuttgart

The 'Pegida phenomenon must be seen in a differentiated manner'

Ms Petry’s policies were given a further boost with the arrival of the xenophobic “Patriotic Europeans Against Islamisation of the West” (Pegida) movement, which attracted thousands to its rallies in the east German city of Dresden last year.

Co-founder and the initial leader of AfD, Bernd Lucke, urged the party to distance itself from Pegida because of fears that any links with the movement would alienate middle-class AfD members.

But Ms Petry, who became AfD’s leader after Mr Lucke was ousted from the party, rejected the call and met Pegida supporters, saying she opposed a ban on contacts with the group.