The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is projected to win a strong victory in the regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, but it's unclear if they'll form a government due to their need for an absolute majority. The party is expected to secure around 44% of the vote, more than double their showing five years ago, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's center-right party is seen polling at just 18.5%. AfD has been accused of being a right-wing extremist group by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, but the party vehemently rejects these accusations. The projected result marks a significant blow to Merz and his party, which has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years.
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 right-wing Alternative for Germany was projected to win a strong victory in a regional election Sunday, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether it would be able to fulfill its ambition of forming the country’s first right-wing state government since World War II.
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it → project → II
The party’s 35-year-old charismatic candidate for governor of the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt hailed what he called a historic showing and said that Germany’s unpopular leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, had helped his campaign.
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leader → hail → campaign
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Ulrich Siegmund told ARD public broadcaster that “we have written history.”
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we → tell → history
Voters, he said, had sent a signal that “things cannot carry on like this.
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things → say → this
It was “also a signal toward Berlin,” Siegmund said.
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Siegmund → say → Berlin
Of Germany’s leader, he added: “A very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz.
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campaigner → add → campaign
Alternative for Germany, or AfD, went into the vote seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern on its own.
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Alternative → go → own
That would overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with AfD, but it was unclear after polls closed whether it would happen.
uncertain
it → overcome → AfD
A first state government would be the biggest prize in the anti-migration party’s 13-year history, at a time of widespread discontent with an unpopular national government that has yet to persuade voters that it can get the country’s sluggish economy moving.
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economy → have → voters
Whether or not AfD can form a government, the projected result is a blow to Merz, whose center-right party has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years.
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party → form → years
Unlike other countries in Europe, modern Germany hasn’t yet had a far-right or right-wing populist party leading a national, state or major-city government.
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Germany → have → government
AfD’s regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt is one of several classified by the domestic intelligence agency as a proven right-wing extremist group.
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branch → classify → group
AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.
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AfD → reject → extremism
Projections for ARD and ZDF public television, based on exit polls and early counting, put AfD at around 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.
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Projections → base → Berlin
That was far ahead of the Christian Democratic Union, the center-right party of Merz that has led the state for 24 years, which was seen polling 18.5% and losing about half its support.
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which → lead → support
The Left Party and the center-left Social Democrats and Greens were seen taking around 9% each.
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Party → see → %
It was unclear whether the BSW party would get the 5% of the vote needed to win seats.
uncertain
party → get → seats
The projections put AfD at least marginally short of an absolute majority, though that could change.
uncertain
that → put → majority
AfD’s national co-leader, Alice Weidel, described the projected result as “sensational” and said that “we have received a very clear mandate to govern here.”
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we → describe → mandate
The party’s “hand is outstretched to all who want to make Saxony-Anhalt better and move Germany forward,” she said.
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she → outstretche → Germany
A visibly disappointed incumbent governor, Sven Schulze, congratulated AfD on becoming the state’s strongest political force and said that “we as the CDU will also have to deal with this result,” without specifying how.
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we → disappoint → result
Franziska Hoppermann, the national general secretary of Merz’s party, said that it was “a very difficult result for us.”
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it → say → us
She and others rejected the idea of backing off their refusal to deal with AfD.
Germany’s 16 states have extensive powers, for example in overseeing security matters and running the education system.
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states → reject → system
Siegmund has listed among his top priorities “the deportation of people who are illegal, a deportation offensive and above all dropping the incentives for why people come here and exploit our social system.”
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people → list → system
He wants to initiate a long process to withdraw Saxony-Anhalt from the regional public broadcaster, citing concerns about “disinformation.”
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He → want → disinformation
AfD in Saxony-Anhalt wants to allow home schooling, which so far isn’t permitted in Germany.
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which → want → Germany
It pledges to ban schools from officially raising the rainbow flag and ensure they fly the national flag.
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they → pledge → flag
It opposes taxpayers’ money being “given away” to Ukraine and says it would push to lift sanctions against Russia, but that isn’t a matter state governments can decide.
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governments → oppose → Russia
