World News Today: International News Headlines - The Hindu | The Hindu
· collected 2026-09-07 · by Authors; Contributors
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 party surged to a resounding victory in a regional election on Sunday (September 6, 2026), but fell a little short of winning a majority in its quest to form the country's first far-right state government since World War II.
asserted
party → surge → II
The party of Germany's unpopular leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, slumped to a disastrous result in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
asserted
party → slump → Anhalt
The anti-migration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany's candidate for Governor said that "we have written history" and the party has a clear mandate to govern.
asserted
party → say → mandate
Ulrich Siegmund, 35, told public broadcaster ARD that voters had sent a signal that "things cannot carry on like this."
asserted
things → tell → this
He said that "a very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz."
asserted
campaigner → say → campaign
AfD wanted to govern on its own
Alternative for Germany, or AfD, was seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties' refusal to work with AfD.
Final results showed AfD falling three seats short, with 39 lawmakers in an 83-member parliament.
asserted
AfD → want → parliament
Mr. Siegmund said it wouldn't engage in "games" such as a minority government.
asserted
it → say → government
But it wasn't evident how its divided opponents could assemble any stable government without it.
uncertain
opponents → divide → it
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 a national government that has yet to persuade voters that it can get the country's sluggish economy moving.
asserted
economy → have → voters
Whether or not AfD ends up governing, the result is a blow to Mr. Merz, whose centre-right party has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years.
asserted
party → end → 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.
asserted
Germany → have → government
AfD is the biggest opposition party in Germany's national parliament and is strongest in the formerly communist and less prosperous east, where Saxony-Anhalt is located.
asserted
Anhalt → locate → east
Its regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt is one of several classified as a proven right-wing extremist group by the domestic intelligence agency, which points to members' denigration of migrants from Muslim countries among other things.
asserted
which → classify → things
The party talks of "remigration," a politically charged term for the deportation of immigrants.
asserted
party → talk → immigrants
Its leader in a neighbouring state appealed two convictions for knowingly using a Nazi slogan.
asserted
leader → neighbour → slogan
AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism and says they're politically motivated.
asserted
they → reject → extremism
Big decline for German leader's party
AfD won 43.8% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.
asserted
AfD → win → Berlin
That was far ahead of Merz's Christian Democratic Union, which polled 17.2% — losing about half its support — and won 15 seats.
asserted
which → poll → seats
The centre-left Social Democrats polled 9.3%, the Greens 8.9% and the Left Party 8.6%, winning eight seats apiece.
asserted
Party → poll → seats
The BSW party, which has said it wouldn't elect either Siegmund or incumbent Sven Schulze as Governor but criticises the "firewall" against AfD, took 5.3% and fives seats.
asserted
it → say → %
AfD appeared to have won over many people who didn't vote at all five years ago.
asserted
who → appear → people
AfD's national co-leader, Alice Weidel, described the result as "sensational" and said that "we have received a very clear mandate to govern here."
asserted
we → describe → mandate
The party's "hand is outstretched to all who want to make Saxony-Anhalt better and move Germany forward," she said.
asserted
she → outstretche → Germany
It may hope to attract defectors from other parties.
uncertain
It → hope → parties
Mr. 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.
asserted
we → congratulate → result
Franziska Hoppermann, the national general secretary of Mr. Merz's party, rejected backing off its refusal to deal with AfD.
"
asserted
Hoppermann → reject → AfD.
It wants to leave the euro; that would be economic downfall ...
asserted
that → want → euro
it works closely together with Russia, it wants a completely different social model," she said.
asserted
she → work → model
"We will not work with them."
asserted
We → work → them
AfD won a state election but didn't end up governing.
asserted
AfD → win → election
That was two years ago in neighbouring Thuringia, where a CDU Governor took power with a minority government, but AfD was much further short of a majority there.
asserted
AfD → neighbour → majority
Any attempt by Mr. Schulze to put together an alliance against AfD would be delicate because it would require at least some tacit support from the Left Party, a hard-left party with which the CDU refuses to form coalitions.
asserted
CDU → put → coalitions
Germany's states have extensive powers
Germany's 16 states have extensive powers, for example in overseeing security matters and running the education system.
asserted
states → have → system
Mr. Siegmund has listed among his top priorities "a deportation offensive" and dropping incentives for people to come to Germany and "exploit our social system."
asserted
people → list → system
He wants to initiate a long process to withdraw Saxony-Anhalt from the regional public broadcaster, citing concerns about "disinformation."
asserted
He → want → disinformation
AfD in Saxony-Anhalt wants to allow home schooling, which so far isn't permitted in Germany.
asserted
which → want → Germany
It pledges to ban schools from officially raising the rainbow flag and ensure they fly the national flag.
asserted
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.
asserted
governments → oppose → Russia
The 16 states' governments also sit in Germany's upper house of parliament, which has to approve some government legislation.
asserted
which → sit → legislation
The influence there of Saxony-Anhalt, one of the smaller states in a nation of 83.5 people, is limited — it controls four of the 69 votes.
asserted
it → control → votes
