Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, emerging as the largest party with more than 44% of the vote; its strongest performance in any German state election since World War II. Despite the landslide result, the party’s path to governing remains uncertain because mainstream parties continue to refuse coalition cooperation with the AfD.
The AfD finished well ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which received about 18.5% of the vote, while the Left Party placed third. Voter turnout reached around 76.5%, one of the highest ever recorded in Saxony-Anhalt, reflecting strong public engagement in an election widely viewed as a test of Germany’s political direction.
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund described the result as a “historic mandate” and said the party hopes to lead the state government. However, the AfD is unlikely to govern unless it secures an outright parliamentary majority, as Germany’s established parties have maintained a political “firewall” against forming coalitions with the far-right party. The final seat distribution will depend on whether smaller parties cross Germany’s 5% electoral threshold to enter parliament.
The election marks another milestone in the AfD’s rise from a protest movement founded in 2013 into one of Germany’s most influential political forces. The party has steadily expanded its support, particularly in eastern Germany, and is now one of the country’s leading opposition forces while polling competitively at the national level.
Migration dominated the AfD’s campaign in Saxony-Anhalt. The party promised stricter immigration controls, faster deportations of migrants without legal residency, and policies centered on what it describes as protecting German national identity. The campaign also included proposals targeting education, renewable energy projects, and cultural issues, all of which have fueled sharp political debate across Germany.
The AfD’s victory has also renewed concerns over extremism. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has classified the party’s Saxony-Anhalt branch as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization, arguing that some of its positions threaten Germany’s constitutional order. The AfD rejects that designation, calling it politically motivated.
Political analysts say the Saxony-Anhalt result increases pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government, which had pledged stronger economic growth and tougher migration policies while seeking to curb the AfD’s growing popularity. The election is widely seen as an early indicator of Germany’s political landscape ahead of future federal elections.
