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Far-right AfD scores historic victory in German state election

From Daily Maverick · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Outcome reported
  • The far-right Alternative for Germany won 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls, placing it first in a German state election.
  • The result could give the AfD its first foothold in state government since World War Two, although it remained unclear whether the party had enough seats to govern alone.
  • The result dealt a major setback to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives amid widespread dissatisfaction with Germany’s federal government.

The AfD has won a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, taking 44% of the vote and leaving Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives badly beaten. The result puts Germany’s far-right party on the cusp of state power for the first time since World War Two.

Counting continued with no certainty that the AfD had secured enough seats to form a government. But the political message was unmistakable. With turnout reported at 77%, voters delivered a result that reflected the unpopularity of Germany’s ruling coalition and the growing strength of hardline parties.

We have made history in this country.

· Ulrich SiegmundThe AfD’s lead candidate celebrated the party’s result in Saxony-Anhalt.

If it can turn the result into a parliamentary majority, the AfD would have a platform for its agenda: sharply restricting immigration, restoring ties with Russia, ending support for Ukraine and leaving the euro. Lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund called the result historic and described it as a first step toward national power in the 2029 federal election.

The people have made it absolutely clear that they finally want political change and, above all, they have shown that they want it with us.

· Ulrich SiegmundSiegmund presented the result as a mandate for the AfD.

“We have made history in this country,” Siegmund told supporters. He said voters had made clear that they wanted political change “with us.” Jubilant supporters waved German flags and embraced at the party’s election-night gathering in Magdeburg. Far-right leaders elsewhere in Europe also welcomed the result, while U.S. President Donald Trump posted a screenshot without comment.

The result marked a sharp setback for Merz, whose approval rating has reached historic lows. An ARD poll found that 87% of state voters were unhappy with the federal government. Germany’s mainstream parties have ruled out working with the AfD, which the state domestic intelligence service has classified as right-wing extremist, although the small BSW party appeared likely to enter parliament and could become a potential partner.

This election result is, above all, a vote of no confidence in the federal government.

· Marcel FratzscherThe president of the German Institute for Economic Research assessed the result for Reuters.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Maverick in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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