The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a projected victory in a regional election in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, according to public broadcasters ARD and ZDF. It remained uncertain whether the anti-migration party could secure an absolute majority to form the state’s first far-right government since World War II.
Saxony-Anhalt Falls to Far-Right
Projections placed AfD at just over 44% of the vote in the region of 2.1 million people. That figure is more than double its performance from five years prior.
A Historic Collapse for Chancellor Merz
The outcome delivers a severe blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. His center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had governed Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years.
According to ARD and ZDF projections, the CDU dropped to roughly 18% of the vote, losing about half its previous support. The Left Party, the center-left Social Democrats, and the Greens each polled around 9%. Meanwhile, it remained unclear whether the BSW party would clear the 5% threshold required to enter the state legislature.
Testing the Mainstream Firewall
AfD campaigned on securing an absolute majority to govern independently and bypass the established “firewall”—the refusal of mainstream political parties to cooperate with the far-right group. Projections placed the party marginally short of an outright majority late Sunday.
Still, the result marks a milestone for the 13-year-old party.
The regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt is classified as a proven right-wing extremist group by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency. The agency cited members’ denigration of migrants from Muslim countries and use of the term “remigration,” a politically charged phrase referring to the deportation of immigrants. AfD has consistently rejected accusations of extremism, calling them politically motivated.
Defiant Triumphs in Berlin and Magdeburg
Ulrich Siegmund, the 35-year-old gubernatorial candidate for AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, told public broadcaster ARD that voters delivered a clear message to Berlin.
“We have written history,” Siegmund said. He added that Chancellor Merz served as an effective campaigner for the party. AfD national co-leader Alice Weidel described the projection as sensational, stating that the party received a clear mandate to govern.
CDU Concedes Defeat but Holds the Line
Incumbent governor Sven Schulze of the CDU acknowledged the defeat and congratulated AfD on becoming the state’s strongest political force, noting that his party must address the outcome.
Franziska Hoppermann, national general-secretary for the CDU, rejected any shift in the party’s stance against coalition building with AfD. Hoppermann told reporters that AfD remains a right-wing extremist party that aims to leave the euro and maintain close ties with Russia, confirming that mainstream parties will not work with them.
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