The Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged into first place in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, securing 44% of the vote in a historic result that brought the far-right party within reach of state power for the first time since World War II.
Although the AfD fell short of an overall majority, its victory delivered a heavy blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives and exposed the deep unpopularity of Germany’s ruling coalition amid an increasingly fragmented political landscape. According to broadcaster ZDF, turnout was 77%.
As counting continued, it remained unclear whether the AfD could form a government. But the political significance of the result was immediately apparent, with the party seeking to use its growing electoral strength to advance an agenda that includes heavy restrictions on immigration, restoring ties with Russia, cutting support for Ukraine and quitting the euro.
“We have made history in this country,” said Ulrich Siegmund, the 35-year-old AfD lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt. Siegmund, whose campaign rallies attracted thousands, repeatedly portrayed victory in the state as a first step towards securing national power in the federal elections due in 2029.
“The people have made it absolutely clear that they finally want political change and, above all, they have shown that they want it with us,” he said.
When the first exit polls were released, Siegmund stood arm-in-arm with the party’s two national leaders as the scale of the victory became clear. Jubilant celebrations erupted at the AfD’s election night gathering in Magdeburg, where supporters waved German flags and embraced in celebration.
US President Donald Trump posted a screenshot of the result without comment on his Truth Social site, while far-right leaders in other European countries welcomed the election outcome as a mandate for change.
The result represents a significant setback for Merz, whose personal approval rating has fallen to historic lows as voters have turned away from both his planned reforms to revive Germany’s sluggish economy and his gaffe-prone communication style.
An ARD broadcaster poll found that 87% of voters in the state were unhappy with the federal government. Siegmund has described Merz as the AfD’s best campaigner because of his unpopularity in Saxony-Anhalt.
“This election result is, above all, a vote of no confidence in the federal government,” said Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research.
Merz has pledged to revive Europe’s largest economy through business-friendly reforms and increased spending. He had warned that an AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt would damage the state and deter foreign companies from investing there.
Germany’s mainstream parties have all refused to cooperate with the AfD, which has been classified as right-wing extremist by the local office of Germany’s domestic intelligence service. The AfD has rejected accusations of extremism as scaremongering and an insult to its millions of supporters.
One possible political complication is the small Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance party, or BSW, which appeared set to clear the threshold for entering parliament. The BSW has floated the possibility of a non-partisan state premier governing Saxony-Anhalt through shifting majorities, potentially including votes from the AfD.
Siegmund rejected the proposal as a “mess” and ruled out arrangements with other parties that would prevent the AfD from delivering on its promise of change. “If push comes to shove, there will simply be new elections,” he said.
Merz’s conservatives said they would explore talks with other parties, although forming a government could require bringing together groups with sharply different political agendas. In neighbouring Thuringia, conservatives run a minority government with passive tolerance from the Left party.
Saxony-Anhalt, formerly part of Communist-run East Germany, is one of Germany’s smaller states, with a population of just over 2 million. But the result highlights the rapid advance of the AfD since its creation in 2013. The party is now Germany’s most popular nationally, polling at 28% in a recent INSA poll, comfortably ahead of the conservatives on 20%.
Germany’s Nazi past has contributed to the reluctance of mainstream parties to cooperate with the AfD, even as far-right parties have gained ground elsewhere in Europe.
During the campaign, the AfD capitalised on growing disillusionment with established parties, portraying them as tired and out of touch. It instead offered hard-line policies and a nostalgic vision centred on cleaner and safer streets and pride in being German.
“It is clear that we need change in Germany and in Western Europe. And I believe a starting signal is definitely going out from here — whether you like it or not,” said Antony Lee, an attendee at the AfD’s election party. “I am a father, I am an entrepreneur, and I know that things cannot continue like this in Germany.”
The AfD’s programme includes plans to push schools and cultural institutions towards what it considers more traditional values, while curbing immigration and overhauling public broadcasting. It wants children of refugees to be taught in segregated classes.
The party has also called for rainbow flags to be banned in schools and for the German national flag to be hoisted every day. The national anthem would be sung by students and staff at school celebrations. Other proposals include citizen patrols, more teaching of Russian in schools and a halt to the construction of new wind farms.
