MAGDEBURG, Germany – Exit polls released by ARD and ZDF on Sunday indicate that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on track to win a decisive plurality in the Saxony‑Anhalt state election, securing just over 44% of the vote. The result would mark the strongest showing for the party in a state election since its founding 13 years ago.
What the numbers mean
The projected vote share more than doubles the AfD’s performance in the same region five years ago, when it earned roughly 20% of the ballot. By contrast, Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is projected at about 18%, a steep decline from its long‑standing dominance in the state. The Left Party, the Social Democratic Party and the Greens each appear to be hovering around 9%.
Implications for governing
AfD candidates entered the race seeking an absolute majority that would allow them to govern without coalition partners, thereby bypassing the traditional “firewall” that mainstream parties have maintained against the far‑right. While the exit polls suggest the party fell just short of the 50% threshold, the final count could still push it over the line.
If the AfD fails to secure a majority, forming a government will require negotiations with smaller parties. That prospect is complicated by the fact that the party’s regional branch in Saxony‑Anhalt has been classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency as a proven right‑wing extremist group, citing anti‑immigrant rhetoric and ties to Russian interests.
Policy priorities highlighted by AfD leaders
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund, 35, told public broadcaster ARD that voters were sending a clear signal that “things cannot carry on like this.” He outlined a platform that includes a “deportation offensive,” stricter controls on immigration, and a push to end what he calls “social system exploitation.” The party also advocates for allowing home schooling, banning the display of rainbow flags in schools, and promoting the national flag in educational institutions.
On foreign policy, the AfD pledged to lift sanctions against Russia and opposed further German financial aid to Ukraine, though such measures fall under federal jurisdiction and cannot be enacted by a state government.
Reactions from other parties
National AfD co‑leader Alice Weidel called the projected result “sensational,” saying the party has received a “very clear mandate to govern.” Meanwhile, incumbent CDU Governor Sven Schulze, visibly disappointed, congratulated the AfD on becoming the state’s strongest political force but did not specify how his party would respond.
Franziska Hoppermann, the CDU’s national general‑secretary, reiterated the party’s refusal to work with the AfD, describing it as a “right‑wing extremist party” that wants to leave the euro and aligns closely with Russia.
Historical context
Germany has never before had a far‑right or right‑wing populist party leading a state government since World War II. A similar scenario unfolded two years ago in neighboring Thuringia, where the AfD won a strong plurality but was ultimately excluded from governing.
Germany’s 16 states retain extensive powers over education, policing and public broadcasting. Saxony‑Anhalt’s influence in the federal upper house, the Bundesrat, is limited to four of the 69 votes, meaning any state‑level shift in policy will have modest impact on national legislation.
What’s next?
Final results are expected later today. If the AfD secures an absolute majority, it could attempt to form a single‑party government, challenging the long‑standing CDU dominance in the region. If not, coalition talks will likely involve smaller parties, potentially forcing the CDU to consider a minority government supported tacitly by the Left Party—an arrangement the CDU has historically resisted.
Regardless of the outcome, the election underscores growing voter dissatisfaction with the national government’s handling of the economy and immigration, and it sets the stage for a potentially turbulent political landscape in eastern Germany.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
