Germany's far-right AfD party is poised to win a regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, which could make it the first far-right party to hold state power since World War II. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been gaining popularity in recent years, and its candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, has been campaigning on a platform of restricting immigration, quitting the Euro, and restoring ties with Russia.
Polls indicate that the AfD is leading with around 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago. The party's popularity has been boosted by popular disillusionment with successive governments in Berlin and support from formerly communist states in the east. If the AfD wins, it would be a historic shift in German politics, as the party seeks to overcome the "firewall" of mainstream parties' refusal to work with them.
The election is seen as a key test for the far-right party's ability to form a government, and a win could have significant implications for Germany's politics. The AfD's platform includes proposals such as creating separate classrooms for refugees, normalizing relations with Russia through student exchange programs, and promoting a patriotism agenda that focuses less on the country's Nazi past.
The election is taking place in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where around 2.1 million people are eligible to vote. The outcome is seen as uncertain, but experts predict that the AfD will emerge as the dominant party in the region. A win for the AfD would be a significant blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU party, which currently leads the state.
The election has been closely watched by observers both within Germany and internationally, with many seeing it as a potential harbinger of far-right movements across Europe. The AfD's use of social media, particularly TikTok, has also been noted, with its candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, having amassed around 10 times the number of followers on the platform as there are eligible voters in Saxony-Anhalt.
The outcome of the election is still uncertain, but one thing is clear: a win for the far-right AfD party would be a significant turning point in German politics.
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