German far right set for major win in eastern state, exit polls show

Germany’s AfD is heading for a major victory in Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls, but the result does not yet guarantee that the far-right party can govern the eastern state. The AfD is projected to receive between 44% and 44.5% of the vote, compared with 18.5% for the conservative CDU.

The party has declared the result a “historic outcome” and says voters have given it a mandate to govern. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s charismatic state leader, has refused to rule with any other party. Whether the party can secure enough seats will depend on the final composition of the state parliament.

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historic outcome

The outcome could mark a major break with Germany’s postwar political history. No far-right party has controlled a German state since World War Two. A state government would give the AfD authority over areas including policing, local education and culture.

Saxony-Anhalt has a population of 2.1 million. Domestic intelligence services classify the AfD branch there as “far-right extremist”, a label Siegmund rejects. The projected result exceeds earlier opinion polls, but the party’s chances of gaining a majority may hinge on whether one of the smaller parties surpasses the required 5% threshold. If a smaller party falls short, the AfD’s path to a majority would become easier.

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far-right extremist