Saxony-Anhalt election: Far right celebrates decisive eastern German victory but falls short of majority

The Alternative for Germany celebrated a sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt, but the far-right party stopped short of the outright majority it would need to govern alone in the eastern German state.

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sensational

Interim figures from the regional election commission put the AfD at 43.8%, far ahead of the conservative Christian Democratic Union, which won 17.2%. In the 83-seat regional parliament, the AfD is heading toward 39 seats. It needs 42 for an absolute majority, and the final figures have not yet been confirmed.

Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s 35-year-old state leader, described the result as “sensational” and said the party wanted to begin governing as soon as possible. “It is not just about Saxony-Anhalt,” he told supporters. “It is a signal for the whole of Germany, a signal of self-confidence.”

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It is not just about Saxony-Anhalt. It is a signal for the whole of Germany, a signal of self-confidence.

No far-right party has taken control of a German state since the end of World War II. Regional government would give the AfD significant responsibilities in areas including policing, local education and culture. The state has about 2.1 million residents. Germany’s domestic intelligence service classifies the AfD’s regional branch as right-wing extremist, a description Siegmund rejects.

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historic victory for the pragmatic AfD

The result quickly drew attention abroad. U.S. President Donald Trump posted a screenshot of German television projections on Truth Social, and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev shared it while praising what he called a “historic victory for the pragmatic AfD.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took the opposite view, saying: “In Poland, only idiots and traitors can be happy about the AfD’s triumph.”

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In Poland, only idiots and traitors can be happy about the AfD’s triumph.