Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) scored a historic victory in Sunday's Saxony-Anhalt election, with exit polls showing the party winning 44.5 percent of the vote and finishing well ahead of its rivals. The result marks the strongest performance by a far-right party in a German state since World War II, though it remains unclear whether the AfD will be able to form a government because other parties have traditionally refused to enter coalitions with it. The result marked a major setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative bloc and a major breakthrough for the party, which has built its strongest support in eastern Germany and campaigned on tougher immigration controls, opposition to the political establishment and a more nationalist agenda.
The AfD, led in Saxony-Anhalt by Ulrich Siegmund, had been polling consistently above 40 percent ahead of Sunday's election, as reported by , well ahead of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), which governs the state. The result will put pressure on Germany's established parties, which have so far refused to form coalitions with the AfD. Voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt surged to record levels on election day, with 65.3 percent of eligible voters casting ballots by 4 p.m., according to State Election Commissioner Christa Dieckmann, German news outlet Bild reported.
The figure far exceeded turnout at the same time in previous elections, when participation stood at 41 percent in 2021 and 47.1 percent in 2016, according to the report. Immigration has emerged as one of the defining issues in the election, reflecting a broader debate playing out across Germany ahead of the next federal vote. AfD has campaigned heavily on promises to tighten border controls, reduce asylum applications and increase deportations, arguing that migration levels have placed pressure on housing, schools and public services.
According to German public broadcasters and national polling, immigration consistently ranks among voters' top concerns, alongside the economy and cost of living, helping drive increased political engagement and turnout in the state election. An AfD government would give the party direct control over state-level policy in areas including education, policing and parts of immigration policy. As previously reported by Newsweek, the AfD's support is largely rooted in the former communist East, where the party has capitalized on anti-immigration sentiment and skepticism toward Germany's military support for Ukraine amid its war with Russia.
The AfD's Saxony-Anhalt branch was classified as a "far-right extremist organization" in 2023 by the state's Office for the Protection of the Constitution. The party's manifesto has been described as "radical" and calls for a major shift in policy, including tougher measures on migration and asylum, while also promising changes to education and security policy, along with greater support for traditional families. It also looks at an expansion of nuclear energy, limits on wind power, a smaller public broadcasting system, more nationalist cultural policies and lower taxes and regulation for businesses.
Siegmund has said the AfD would seek to implement its programme if it secured a majority, giving the party an opportunity to demonstrate how its policies would work in government rather than opposition. The breakthrough comes as the AfD seeks to expand its influence beyond eastern Germany and establish itself as a potential force for national government. The party's gains have put increasing pressure on Merz and the CDU, particularly over migration and the economy.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
