Saxony-Anhalt: AfD on the brink of a breakthrough, what is at stake for Germany?

For the first time since the end of World War II, a far-right party could take power in Saxony-Anhalt. The prospect raises questions not only about the state's future, but also about Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the resilience of German democracy.

Merz once wanted to halve the AfD. In Saxony-Anhalt, however, the party is now approaching a historic election result and could potentially take over the government if circumstances allow. The article asks what is driving the populists' advance and how much responsibility the federal government bears for the party's rise.

A central uncertainty is what would happen if the AfD emerged as the strongest party without securing its own majority. Possible alliances, the Union's approach to the AfD and the consequences of a potential AfD victory are among the issues discussed.

The questions form the focus of a roundtable involving the four hosts of the podcast Das Politikteil: Peter Dausend, Ileana Grabitz, Tina Hildebrandt and Heinrich Wefing. The episode examines whether entering government might ultimately expose the AfD's weaknesses. The program meets on the first Friday of every month, and this episode is available on Zeit.de as a video podcast for the first time.