Germany's far-right AfD eyes first taste of state power in eastern vote
In Saxony-Anhalt's regional election, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party is aiming for an outright majority that would mark its first state-level governing power in post-war Germany, with implications for Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Germany's eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt is holding an election this weekend that could reshape the country's political landscape, as the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party seeks an outright majority in the regional parliament. A win would make it the first far-right party to hold state-level power in Germany's post-war history.
The outcome also carries risk for conservative (CDU) Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has faced persistent rumours about whether he can complete his term and has been booed at recent public appearances. Merz had previously pledged to halt the far right's rise, yet support for the AfD has continued to grow.
The AfD's lead candidate in the state, Ulrich Siegmund, dubbed "Germany's Most Dangerous Man" by Der Spiegel magazine, has dominated media coverage during the campaign. He has dismissed reports that people with past ties to the neo-Nazi scene hold influential roles around him.
The party's support in the east is fuelled by voter frustration over immigration, public safety, a struggling economy, high energy costs and financial aid sent abroad to countries such as Ukraine. Its manifesto calls for refugee children to be placed in separate classes, for rainbow flags to be banned at schools, and for a task force to detain and deport migrants without the right to remain.
The AfD has also faced scrutiny over pro-Russia sympathies, after a Russian army mug was found in the office of a leading local figure, who called it a souvenir. This came the same week Berlin publicly blamed Moscow for a failed drone attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport, an accusation the Kremlin denies. German security officials have also warned of escalating Russian-backed disinformation campaigns targeting AfD rivals.
Saxony-Anhalt is among several German states where the AfD's local branch is officially classified as right-wing extremist, with domestic intelligence describing it as driven by a "racist ideology". The party rejects these designations as politically motivated.
Other parties refuse to form coalitions with the AfD, meaning it needs an outright majority to govern alone, with the result also hinging on whether smaller parties clear the 5% threshold to enter parliament. A decisive AfD victory would present the anti-establishment party with an unprecedented test: governing rather than simply opposing those in power.
