The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election on Sunday, more than doubling its previous support and putting it ahead of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The AfD secured 44% of the vote while the CDU collapsed to 17.5%, according to a projection by ARD. This victory is seen as one of the biggest challenges yet to Germany's political establishment, with the AfD only three seats short of an outright majority in the state legislature. The AfD has capitalized on public frustration with sluggish economic growth and rising energy prices, tapping into grievances about migration and climate change policies.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
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 Alternative for Germany scored its best-ever result in a state election on Sunday amid growing public discontent with the political establishment, delivering a powerful blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the country’s political establishment.
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Alternative → score → Merz
The AfD secured 44 per cent of the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its support and putting it ahead of the long-governing Christian Democratic Union, whose backing collapsed to 17.5 per cent, according to a projection broadcast by ARD.
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backing → secure → ARD
That would leave the AfD only three seats short of an outright majority in the state legislature.
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That → leave → legislature
The victory amounts to one of the biggest challenges yet to the parties that have governed the federal republic since the aftermath of World War II.
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that → amount → II
Merz, who kept well away from voters on the campaign trail, will have to grapple with the fallout after his CDU performed worse than expected amid sluggish economic growth and rising energy prices.
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CDU → keep → growth
The AfD, parts of which are considered by German domestic intelligence as a right-wing threat to the constitutional order, has capitalized on the frustration, tapping into public grievances with its call to halt migration, end efforts to tackle climate change and restore relations with Russia.
“This is the foundation — this is the basis on which the first AfD-led government in Germany will thrive, here in Saxony-Anhalt and then throughout Germany,” the AfD’s lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, told supporters at party headquarters in the state capital Magdeburg.
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candidate → consider → capital
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said the party will reach out to potential partners, including disaffected lawmakers from the CDU, to assemble a government.
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party → say → government
Short of an outright AfD majority, any coalition building has the potential to run into deadlock.
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building → have → deadlock
Others entering parliament are the Social Democrats with 9.2 per cent, the Greens at 8.9 per cent and the anti-capitalist Left party with 8.6 per cent.
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Others → enter → cent
BSW, a breakaway party founded by former Left leader Sahra Wagenknecht, also cleared the five per cent threshold to win seats, the projection showed.
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projection → found → seats
CDU state premier Sven Schulze said that state voters “sent a signal,” though the party has repeatedly said it won’t work with the AfD.
“Some say this is a dark day for Saxony-Anhalt,” Schulze told party members.
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Schulze → say → members
“I say that this is democracy.”
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this → say → ?
Saxony-Anhalt, which has the lowest GDP per capita of Germany’s 16 states, has a population of around two million.
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which → have → million
Since Germany reunified, the region has seen its population decline more sharply than any other state, with the number of inhabitants having fallen by more than a quarter between 1990 and 2024.
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number → reunify → 1990
During a rush of campaigning ahead of the vote, Siegmund drew thousands to festival-like events, where supporters clamoured for autographs and selfies.
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supporters → campaign → autographs
It was a clear demonstration of the party’s growing support — and a contrast with Merz, who made two appearances in the state that involved statements to reporters.
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that → grow → reporters
Siegmund has said that if he fails to gain the necessary majority to lead the state as premier, he would wait out the political chaos that he said would ensue if the CDU formed a government, which he predicted would last “a few months.”
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he → say → government
The AfD will simply gain more in the next election, he told Bloomberg: “We can only win.”
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We → gain → Bloomberg
Merz has warned that the AfD would send Germany “into the abyss.”
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AfD → warn → abyss
Business leaders have warned of deterring investment.
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leaders → warn → investment
Domestic counterintelligence has categorized elements of the party as a threat to democratic institutions, placing them under increased surveillance.
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counterintelligence → categorize → surveillance
But the party has continued to gain public support.
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party → continue → support
In Saxony-Anhalt, its leaders have discussed plans to set up a state-funded “deportation task force,” to purge the ranks of civil servants — and to overhaul the education system to expunge it of “left-wing indoctrination.”
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leaders → discuss → indoctrination
Even as its popularity has grown, the party has coalesced around an ethno-nationalist ideology and shed much of its more moderate language, according to Germany’s federal counterintelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
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party → grow → Constitution
In its annual report issued in June, it said an increased number of party officials have openly adopted the concept of “remigration,” or large-scale expulsions.
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number → issue → remigration
That has isolated it in Europe, even among far-right peers.
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That → isolate → peers
France’s Marine Le Pen ended cooperation with the party in 2024 after an AfD lawmaker said in an interview that not every Nazi SS member should be considered a criminal.
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member → end → interview
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose Brothers of Italy has embraced transatlantic ties, has kept her distance given the AfD’s closeness to Russia.
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Brothers → embrace → Russia
