AfD’s historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt weakens Chancellor Friedrich Merz and shakes Germany’s firewall

There will certainly be a before and after September 6, 2026, in German politics. The far right’s sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt marks a turning point, according to the article, because no far-right party has won such a result in Germany since the end of the Third Reich.

The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, received 43.8% of the vote in the eastern state. That was the party’s best score in its 13 years of existence. It was also the highest result ever achieved by any party in Saxony-Anhalt since reunification.

The result came with a crushing defeat for the Christian Democrats and has immediate repercussions in federal politics. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, described in the source as deeply unpopular, is under more pressure than ever.

The AfD’s performance also attracted international praise from U.S. President Donald Trump, technology magnate Elon Musk and former Hungarian President Viktor Orbán. The result has therefore become more than a state-level victory, putting Germany’s political balance and its longstanding barrier against the far right under renewed strain.