Germany’s AfD Scores Its Biggest Victory Yet, Threatening Merz’s Position

“Everything starts here” was the slogan the Alternative for Germany used in Saxony-Anhalt, and Sunday’s regional election gave that message its most powerful expression yet. The far-right, anti-immigration and Russia-friendly party won about 44% of the vote, its strongest performance since World War II.

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We made history. We are taking our country back. It starts here, in Saxony-Anhalt.

The result puts the AfD just short of complete control of the state parliament. With turnout reportedly high, the party is expected to hold 39 of the 81 seats, only three fewer than the 42 needed for an outright majority. Political negotiations are now likely to focus on whether it can reach an agreement with the BSW, a populist left-wing party founded by a former member of East Germany’s communist party. Another option would be to persuade lawmakers from other parties to defect.

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Of course, this is also a message to Berlin... Every working day of this man in the Chancellery is one too many. That is how the people of Saxony-Anhalt see it.

At a victory rally in Magdeburg, AfD candidate for state premier Ulrich Siegmund presented the result as the beginning of a national breakthrough. “We made history. We are taking our country back. It starts here, in Saxony-Anhalt,” he said as the crowd chanted his name, “Uli, Uli.” Siegmund also described the election as a direct message to Berlin: “Of course, this is also a message to Berlin... Every working day of this man in the Chancellery is one too many. That is how the people of Saxony-Anhalt see it.”

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A very difficult result

The result was a disaster for Merz’s Christian Democratic Union, which has governed the state for 24 years. Its support dropped below 18%, compared with 37.1% in 2021. CDU Secretary-General Franziska Hoppermann called the outcome “a very difficult result” and “a complete defeat.” State Premier Sven Schulze acknowledged that the AfD had become the strongest force in the state parliament and said the CDU would have to come to terms with the result. The party’s performance has already triggered speculation over whether Merz could lose the chancellorship.

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The election winner, AfD, is now the strongest force in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, and we, the CDU, will have to come to terms with this result.