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๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ธ Serbia /Elections & Politics

Who is the man who could bring the AfD to power?

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

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

At a glance

Analysis Named sources Ongoing story
  • Ulrich Siegmund and the Alternative for Germany lead polls ahead of the September 2026 election in Saxony-Anhalt.
  • A victory could make Siegmund the first AfD premier of a German state, although other parties may block the party through a coalition.
  • His campaign combines a youthful, approachable image with proposals including mass deportations, mandatory work for refugees and reduced support for democracy-promoting groups.

Ulrich Siegmund has become the face of an election whose importance reaches well beyond Saxony-Anhalt. The eastern German state, home to just over two million people, ranks near the bottom of Germany's 16 states in economic strength and life expectancy. On Sept. 6, 2026, it could produce the first state premier from the Alternative for Germany, or AfD.

I don't know when we last had such high support, including among young people. It's really enormous.

· Ulrich SiegmundHe described the AfD's polling and campaign support in an interview with DW.

Polls show the far-right party with a clear lead. The open question is whether that support will deliver an outright majority or whether rival parties can stop the AfD by forming a coalition. That prospect has drawn attention from media outlets including the BBC, The Economist and newspapers from Canada, Denmark and Switzerland.

Siegmund, 36, has built a campaign image that contrasts with the age of many established politicians. He appears energetic and approachable, usually in a white shirt, greeting voters, joking with them and filling squares even in smaller towns. โ€œI don't know when we last had such high support, including among young people. It's really enormous,โ€ he told DW.

AfD campaign rallies work perfectly, both logistically and politically.

· David BegrichThe Miteinander researcher assessed the party's campaign organization.

Even critics acknowledge that the AfD currently has momentum. David Begrich of Miteinander, an organization that researches right-wing extremism, said the party's rallies work smoothly both logistically and politically, calling them โ€œexcellent marketing for its own politics.โ€

It's excellent marketing for its own politics.

· David BegrichHe characterized the effect of the AfD's rallies.

That politics, however, is tougher than the atmosphere of the rallies. Siegmund's speeches point toward a return to an earlier Germany, one that did not see itself as a country of immigration, relied on nuclear power and gave less public attention to LGBTQ rights. The AfD's proposed first 100 days include mass deportations, ending funding for organizations that promote democracy, compulsory work for refugees and an emphasis on love of the German homeland over social diversity. Experts question whether a state government has the authority to carry out some of those promises. The party also faces allegations of nepotism, including claims involving several lawmakers.

From the people, for the people.

· Ulrich SiegmundA slogan Siegmund uses when addressing supporters.
About this summary

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. 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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