Al Jazeera – Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Al Jazeera Staff
In eastern German state Saxony-Anhalt, voting is underway in an election where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party may become the first to hold power at a state level since World War II. The AfD currently leads with 40 percent support in polls, ahead of the Christian Democrats (CDU) at 23 percent. Thousands attended a rally on Saturday to protest against the AfD and promote democracy. Initial election results are expected around 6pm local time on Sunday.
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.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score +0.35 for article 5481 (high confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-09-06
Voting is under way in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt that could see the Alternative for Germany (AfD) become the first far-right party to take power at a state level since World War II.
uncertain
Alternative → see → II
Recent surveys place AfD at 40 percent, ahead of the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) at 23 percent.
asserted
surveys → place → percent
Recommended Stories
list of 3 items- list 1 of 3Germany’s far right AfD eyes election breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt
- list 2 of 3Germany’s far-right AfD eyes historic first in state election
- list 3 of 3Thousands
asserted
AfD → eye → 3Thousands
protest in Germany as far-right AfD party meets
AfD has led comfortably in the pre-election opinion polls for months and has a chance at winning an absolute majority if several smaller parties fail to clear the 5 percent threshold to enter the parliament.
asserted
parties → protest → parliament
A CDU-led administration under incumbent state premier Sven Schulze is the most likely outcome if the AfD does not win a majority.
asserted
AfD → lead → majority
Weeks of coalition talks could follow the vote, depending on which parties surpass the 5 percent minimum.
uncertain
parties → follow → minimum
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund, who was previously a member of the CDU, predicted gaining an absolute majority that would lead the anti-establishment party to national victory in 2029.
asserted
that → predict → 2029
He was named “Germany’s most dangerous man” by the influential magazine Der Spiegel.
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He → name → magazine
“It was the others who erected the firewalls,” he told German tabloid Bild.
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he → erect → Bild
“If no one wants to work with us, then we’ll just have to do it alone.”
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we → want → it
An absolute majority would allow AfD to bypass mainstream parties’ “firewall” noncooperation policy, which the far-right party has already done at the local level.
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party → allow → level
For the AfD, the Saxony-Anhalt elections are a stepping stone towards its larger ambition: securing national power in the 2029 federal elections.
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elections → secure → elections
The CDU is led by deeply unpopular German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
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CDU → lead → Merz
At a local campaign rally in Lower Saxony a week before the election, Merz urged other politicians to engage with AfD more effectively.
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Merz → urge → AfD
“We must address the issues at hand.
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We → address → hand
We must also address our choice of words,” Merz said, referring to a statement by the AfD’s state leader in Saxony-Anhalt, Martin Reichardt.
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Merz → address → Anhalt
Reichardt previously told the AfD’s youth organisation that Germany had become “a lazy, anti-social bum reeking of dope”.
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Germany → tell → dope
Thousands of demonstrators gathered for a festival in support of democracy the night before the crucial election.
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Thousands → gather → election
Rally organisers estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 people attended the demonstration.
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people → estimate → demonstration
Initial results are expected at about 16:00 GMT (6pm local time) on Sunday.
asserted
results → expect → Sunday
