In the early months of September, the far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the strongest party in Saxony‑Anhalt, recording 43.8% of the vote and 39 seats in the 83‑member state parliament – just one seat shy of an outright majority.
AfD deputy parliamentary leader Ulrich Siegmund said the result is a “clear mandate to govern,” while CDU leader Beatrix von Storch urged all political rivals to engage in dialogue, emphasizing that the people's vote cannot be ignored.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, head of the national CDU, was shocked by the outcome and warned that his party must “reach people at an emotional level” if it hopes to regain the state’s confidence.
With no clear coalition partner on the left or far‑right spectrum, the AfD is reportedly courting the small BSW party and other individual MPs for a minority government. If no agreement emerges, a snap election could be called, according to AfD sources.
The party’s agenda includes segregating child‑refugee children into separate classes and a controversial “remigration” programme aimed at deporting migrants deemed illegal. This policy has drawn sharp criticism from civil‑society groups and from Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, which labels the AfD as extremist.
International responses have been mixed. U.S. and Russian officials praised the AfD’s win, whereas Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned the outcome as emblematic of an ideology that has already fractured European democracies. The episode underscores how far‑right movements can exploit electoral victories to influence regional politics.
Overall, the Saxony‑Anhalt election marks a watershed moment in German politics. The AfD’s ascendancy in eastern Germany could reshape national coalition dynamics and bring a far‑right party closer to wielding executive power at the state level.
