MAGDEBURG, Germany — The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party emerged with a significant lead in the recent regional election in Saxony-Anhalt. However, forming Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II remains uncertain, as exit polls revealed on Sunday.
AfD aimed for an absolute majority in the eastern state’s legislature, enabling it to govern independently and bypass the refusal of mainstream parties to collaborate with it. Achieving control would be a historic achievement for the party in its 13-year existence, amidst dissatisfaction with the national government, which has struggled to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy.
Such a victory would symbolically challenge Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years. According to polls from ARD and ZDF public television, AfD secured about 44% of the vote, a remarkable increase from its previous performance five years ago. This placed it significantly ahead of Chancellor Merz’s CDU, projected at 18.5%, reflecting a substantial drop in its support.
The Left Party trailed in third place with approximately 9%, while both the center-left Social Democrats and Greens were expected to maintain positions in the state legislature with around 8%-9%. The BSW party’s chance of gaining seats hinged on whether it would meet the 5% vote threshold. Despite AfD’s formidable showing, it seemed slightly short of securing an outright majority.
Ulrich Siegmund, AfD’s dynamic 35-year-old state governor candidate, expressed to ARD that “we have written history,” emphasizing voters’ desire for change. He noted Chancellor Merz’s ineffective governance as advantageous for AfD’s campaign.
Franziska Hoppermann, national general secretary of Merz’s CDU, acknowledged the challenging outcome for their party. AfD prevails as the primary opposition force in Germany’s national parliament, especially strong in the less affluent eastern regions, including Saxony-Anhalt.
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