George Anjay
Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is poised for a significant electoral triumph in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to preliminary projections, significantly outpolling its mainstream political rivals. While it remains uncertain whether this commanding lead will translate into outright control of the state government, the AfD has unequivocally declared its victory as a mandate to govern. The far-right party is projected to secure over 44% of the vote, a substantial margin that leaves the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) trailing with a mere 18.2%.
The AfD has enthusiastically embraced the outcome, labeling it a "historic result." Ulrich Siegmund, the party’s charismatic leader in the state, has adopted an unyielding stance, asserting his refusal to enter into any coalition with other political parties. The implications of this potential AfD victory are profound, as no far-right party has held state-level power in Germany since the conclusion of World War Two. Governing a German state would grant the AfD considerable influence over crucial areas such as policing, local education policies, and cultural affairs.
Saxony-Anhalt, with its modest population of 2.1 million, has become a focal point for this political upheaval. The state’s domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt as "right-wing extremist," a designation that Siegmund vehemently rejects. The projected vote share for the AfD surpasses earlier opinion poll predictions, sparking palpable elation among Siegmund, along with national co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, as the election results began to emerge. Political commentators and opponents alike have characterized the outcome as a watershed moment, signaling a definitive break with Germany’s post-war political landscape.
However, the AfD’s aspirations for governmental power remain contingent on the electoral success of smaller parties, specifically their ability to cross the 5% threshold to enter the state parliament. The fate of the populist left-wing party, BSW, is particularly crucial. If the BSW fails to meet the electoral threshold, the AfD’s chances of securing a parliamentary majority are significantly enhanced. As it stands, with the current projections, the AfD is on course to win 39 seats in the 83-seat state parliament.
A jubilant atmosphere permeated the AfD’s election night headquarters, with supporters erupting in cheers as the initial projections were displayed. Shortly thereafter, a wave of patriotic fervor swept through the crowd as they began singing the German national anthem. "We have made history in this state," Siegmund declared to the assembled supporters. His CDU counterpart, Sven Schulze, conceded defeat, acknowledging the need for his party to grapple with the ramifications of the result, describing the election campaign as "extremely tough and intensive."
Germany’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) has described the outcome as "truly dramatic." Lars Klingbeil, the national leader of the SPD, whose party is part of the federal coalition government alongside the CDU, interpreted the result as a "signal to Berlin," emphasizing that the message would not be ignored. The AfD, whose full name is Alternative für Deutschland, openly advocates for pro-Russia and anti-migration policies. Its dominance has not only characterized the election campaign but is now defining the electoral results. Despite the initial uncertainty surrounding the final outcome, the party’s supporters are confident that they are on an upward trajectory.
Voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt was notably high, estimated at 78%. AfD supporters in Magdeburg lauded Siegmund’s success in resonating with voters. One supporter, identifying himself as Ollie, expressed his conviction, stating, "This man gives us what no-one else can give." He elaborated, "No matter what government, they all just promise things to get better. This is a party for the working people. It is the alternative for Germany," he told the BBC.
In contrast, other political parties maintain a firm stance of refusing to form coalitions with the AfD, adhering to a political "firewall" or Brandmauer designed to exclude the far-right from governing. In Saxony-Anhalt, the BSW has indicated a willingness to cooperate with the AfD on specific policy issues, should they secure representation in the state parliament. Nationally, the AfD currently leads the opinion polls, ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ruling conservatives and the Social Democrats, with its strongest support base concentrated in the eastern German states. This follows their victory in the 2024 state election in neighboring Thuringia, although they did not secure enough seats to form a government there.
Among the AfD’s proposed policies is a highly contentious plan for "remigration," a term widely understood to imply the mass deportation of migrants. The party asserts that it refers to the deportation of criminals and individuals residing in the country illegally. While such a policy would be beyond the scope of a single state government’s authority, an AfD-led administration in Saxony-Anhalt would wield significant power over state policing, education, and cultural matters. The party has been particularly critical of the Bauhaus school of design, an institution suppressed by the Nazis following their rise to power in 1933.
Responding to the election news from Saxony-Anhalt, Charlotte Knobloch, a respected figurehead of the Jewish community in Munich and Bavaria and a Holocaust survivor, expressed her profound unease. "On days like this I find it hard to recognise my homeland any more," the 93-year-old stated, issuing an appeal to mainstream parties to actively resist "this decline." Further controversy surrounds one of the AfD’s prominent figures in Saxony-Anhalt, Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, who has faced criticism for his stance on Russia. When questioned about a Russian army mug in his office, he dismissed it as a souvenir, adding, "it’s not our war."
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