Far-Right AfD Wins Historic Victory in Saxony-Anhalt

Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party has achieved a historic state election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, securing 44% of the vote. The result brings a far-right party to the brink of regional government in Germany for the first time since the Nazi era.

The outcome leaves the AfD just short of an absolute majority in the eastern state. Voter participation rose sharply to 77.8%, compared to 60.3% in the 2021 election, indicating that the party successfully mobilized previously inactive voters.

Political Reaction Across Europe

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took leadership of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union in 2022 promising to halve support for the AfD, expressed shock at the result but vowed to remain in office. Rather than shrinking, support for the AfD has doubled since Merz made his pledge, while backing for his coalition has fallen.

The election outcome prompted widespread concern outside Germany as well. France’s European affairs minister, Benjamin Haddad, described the result as “a very grave moment for Europe.” In Berlin, thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to protest against the party’s victory.

Drivers Behind the AfD’s Rise

The AfD campaign in Saxony-Anhalt was led by Ulrich Siegmund, a former perfume salesman who has built a significant online following with 800,000 followers on TikTok. German news magazine Der Spiegel previously labeled Siegmund “Germany’s most dangerous man.”

Siegmund focused his campaign on economic discontent and migration issues. Detailed polling analysis indicates that while one-third of AfD voters align with the party’s extremist ideology, broader support is driven by voters who feel alienated from mainstream politics. Researchers have also linked rising house rents and regional nostalgia for former communist East Germany to increased support for the party.

Background

Saxony-Anhalt is a state in the former communist east of Germany, where voters have traditionally voted further to the right than in other parts of the country. Germany’s security services classify the AfD as an extremist organization. Mainstream German political parties have spent years seeking to exclude the far right from entering government coalitions.