The Independent World
· collected 2026-09-06 · by James C. Reynolds
Germany is bracing itself for what could be its first taste of far-right power since World War II, as voters head to the polls in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, polling at 40 per cent, is expected to decisively win the election, potentially marking a historic shift in German politics. A victory would mean that Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the mainstream parties have failed to keep the AfD out of power, with polls suggesting Merz has become the most unpopular chancellor since the founding of the Federal Republic, with 85 per cent of voters dissatisfied. The AfD's potential win could also pave the way for a hardline path ahead for Germany, marked by policies such as immigration restrictions and an overhaul of the education system.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In a closely watched regional election, Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is poised to gain power in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The AfD is expected to secure at least 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago, according to exit polls. This would give the party a significant majority and potentially mark the first time a far-right party has held state-level power in Germany since World War II.
The AfD's rise to prominence is seen as a threat to mainstream parties, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which is currently leading the state. The party's success is attributed to its promise to restrict immigration and restore ties with Russia, as well as its charismatic leader, Ulrich Siegmund.
A victory for the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt would be a significant milestone for the party, which has been gaining momentum in recent years. It could also have broader implications for German politics, potentially leading to a shift towards a harder line on immigration and European integration.
Experts warn that an AfD government could lead to significant changes in areas such as education and foreign policy, including creating separate classrooms for refugees and promoting a patriotism agenda that focuses less on the country's Nazi past. The party has also been accused of adopting tactics inspired by President Trump, including casting doubt on the integrity of absentee voting.
The outcome of the election is still uncertain, but it is clear that the AfD's rise to power would be a historic event with significant implications for Germany and Europe.
Written for “Far-Right Party's Rise in Germany” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 41 other(s) covering the same event.
The far-right will be vying to seize its first taste of power in Germany since the Second World war on Sunday as voters head to the polls in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
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voters → vie → Anhalt
A win for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party - which was polling at 40 per cent in the build up to Sunday’s vote – could spell an historic shift in German politics after years of cooperation between the other parties to keep the hard right out of power.
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which → poll → power
The AfD seeks to restrict immigration, quit the Euro and restore ties with Russia as most of Europe rallies around Ukraine.
But the party has gone from strength to strength in recent years, buoyed by popular disillusion with successive governments in Berlin and drawing support from formerly communist states in the east.
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party → seek → east
Ahead of the 2029 national elections, a victory in Saxony-Anhalt could offer a glimpse of a hardline path ahead for the EU’s biggest economy, marked by a deportation offensive, an overhaul of the education system, and the promotion of “traditional” relationships.
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victory → offer → relationships
The Independent looks at what a win for the AfD could mean for the state and the future of Germany.
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win → look → Germany
Can the AfD win the election in Saxony-Anhalt?
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AfD → win → Anhalt
The AfD is expected to decisively win Sunday’s election with 40 per cent of the vote, twice the support it saw there just five years ago.
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it → expect → vote
Polls have routinely put the AfD 10 to 15 points ahead of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU), which currently leads a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) and the free-market Free Democrats (FDP).
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which → put → Democrats
Winning enough votes to secure an outright majority and govern the state alone would be especially humiliating for Chancellor Friedrich Merz, upsetting decades of alignment across the mainstream parties to keep the hard right out of power.
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Winning → win → power
Nationwide, the AfD has swollen to become the most popular party, polling at 29 per cent, while Merz has become the most unpopular chancellor since the founding of the Federal Republic, with 85 per cent of voters dissatisfied.
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cent → swell → voters
In Saxony-Anhalt, all the parties except the small far-left BSW party have ruled out joining a coalition with the AfD, which has also said it aims to govern alone.
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it → rule → AfD
But there is no guarantee that the other parties will be able to form a viable coalition.
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parties → be → coalition
If both the SPD (polling at 8.5 per cent) and the Greens (6 per cent) reach the minimum 5 per cent threshold, their votes – together with the CDU (23 per cent) and the far-left Left party (11.5 per cent) – could be enough to stop the AfD from forming a government in the state.
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votes → poll → state
But the CDU has ruled out a coalition with the Left Party and combining with the SPD and Greens may not be enough for a majority.
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combining → rule → majority
The Brookings Institution, an American think-tank that describes itself as nonpartisan, concluded that an absolute majority for AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund “is within reach”.
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majority → describe → reach
They acknowledged that Siegmund - described as “a glib salesman with a degree in business psychology who once cofounded a company for room fragrances” - had organised a “remarkably successful campaign”, despite failing to disavow the AfD’s links to extremist movements, and despite the clumsy shortcomings of his deputy.
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who → acknowledge → deputy
And even if the AfD does fail to achieve an outright majority, they said, “the task of organizing a CDU-led governing majority faces almost insurmountable difficulties”, exacerbated by the CDU’s ruling out of any coalition with the Left party.
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task → fail → party
The Left party has indicated it would be open to an arrangement formalising support for a CDU-led government over the AfD.
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it → indicate → AfD.
But the CDU faces internal divisions over a possible alliance with the ideologically remote far-left.
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CDU → face → left
Merz said ahead of the election last Sunday that they would “assess the situation in light of the election results” and “do everything we can to prevent Saxony-Anhalt from falling into the hands of the radicals”.
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we → say → radicals
What would an AfD win mean for Saxony-Anhalt?
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win → mean → Anhalt
Based on the party’s “Vision 2026” election manifesto, victory in Saxony-Anhalt could invite sweeping reforms around state policy on migration, education, culture and the family.
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victory → base → migration
Under Germany's federal system, state governments sit in the upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, and also have wide powers in education, domestic security and culture.
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governments → sit → education
An AfD-led state would launch a crackdown on migration with a task force set up to coordinate quicker deportations.
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state → lead → deportations
The children of refugees would be placed in separate classes at school to prevent what the party claims are “stresses” on the other children from being around different cultures.
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party → place → cultures
Meanwhile children with disabilities would no longer be taught in the same classroom as those without, instead being sent to special schools.
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children → teach → schools
Schools would also be banned from flying rainbow flags, and the government would exhaust “all legal avenues” to limit Islamic expression.
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government → ban → expression
The party has claimed greater acceptance of what it offensively labels as"sexual deviations and non-reproductive lifestyles" has contributed to sinking birth rates and promises to aggressively promote "traditional" family structures consisting of a mother, father and children.
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it → claim → mother
An AfD government would see major changes to the school curriculum around a “patriotic cultural policy”, extended to raising the German national flag daily and singing the national anthem at school celebrations.
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government → see → celebrations
It would also advocate for removing war refugee status for Ukrainians in Germany as long as the conflict remains concentrated in eastern Ukraine, arguing they should seek refuge in western Ukraine.
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they → advocate → Ukraine
The current structure of the public broadcasting system would be dismantled and funding withdrawn for some cultural institutions.
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funding → dismantle → institutions
