Is the rise of AfD in Germany a concern, what has the other parties done to slow it down?

Nothing. All they do is help accelerating the AfD's rise by parroting any lie the AfD tells. Because the AfD isn't a problem for them but the chance to finally get rid of that pesky democracy that sets limits on their corruption.

That's the common denominator for all "conservatives". If they have to chose between democracy and power they will chose the latter every single time.

Their only other option would be actual sensible policies. But that's not actually a real option if you are deeply corrupt and just looking for a way to implement policies for your ultra-rich donors. So diversion via culture war and right-wing propaganda it is instead. Not a long-term solution when you will be eaten up by far-right parties this way. But who cares for long-term when it's about money and nice board positions now...

(And so they are happily abolishing transparency laws already while helping to implement more surveilance and more police powers. Because they are totally not planning to cooperate with fascists soon *wink wink*.)

It's mostly the gloomer in me, but I'm getting some pre-ww2 vibes in polarisation.

Germany ca. 1931

But seriously, the AfD is a huge concern and many of the other parties are aiding them indirectly (CDU, CSU, FDP) or directly (BSW). The traditional rightwing parties are doing everything they can to make the AfD bigger - they're constantly talking about being tough on immigration even though it clearly doesn't help them in elections, they're sabotaging the economy by acting against renewables and doing nothing for bringing down costs for housing, and they're introducing new laws to make the general population pay for it even harder instead of taxing the rich even a little bit more. And they keep refusing to ban the AfD, even though that party is clearly anti-constitional.

Europe desperately needs a new political class, we actually have the sons of the boomers which aren't prepared to this time of changes but we are still the most future-proof progressive political project considering the mess with the US downfall and China's issues. I think the crucial points for the near future are:

• Making a two speed UE: eurosceptics nations should have less 'power decisions / financial support' if they do not apply to the shared rules; Canada addition as partner is great since it can run to be a real member in the future and it make actual members questioning about their conduct. The priority here is to revisionate the veto mechanism, we are already going into that direction after the fall of Orban.
• Gaza: UE can't exist without fully dissociate to the genocide, that's not just for ethical reasons, it's for soft power and international justice, without these UE has no sense, not a reason or a meaning to exist. This probably require to wait the fall of Donald Trump consequently with most far-rights parties in UE.
• Ukraine: This is probably the main topic for near-future elections and the most difficult to predict, many pro-putin parties are actually scared about escalation while Rearm Europe hasn't provided a real political defense union between nations. UE must become e a real multinational-state to solve this.