Far-Right AfD Claims Historic Victory in German State Elections

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a "historic crushing victory" in the state elections of Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, according to exit poll data. The result represents a significant blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), though it remains uncertain if the AfD can form a state government. Exit polls from ARD indicated the AfD garnered 44.5% of the vote, a substantial increase from 20.8% in 2021. Conversely, the CDU's support plummeted to 18.5% from 37.1% in 2021, a particularly painful outcome in a state where the CDU has held power since 2002. Most parties have ruled out coalition partnerships with the AfD, suggesting the party would need a parliamentary majority to govern.

The AfD's performance surpassed all pre-election forecasts. "We focused on our state and did what we promised. We made history," stated Ulrich Siegmund, the 35-year-old AfD leader in Saxony-Anhalt, adding, "As a democrat, I extend my hand to all other democratic parties that want to form a coalition and change Germany's course." The election also saw the CDU's support fall about five percentage points below poll predictions, reflecting voter disappointment. The CDU headquarters reportedly resembled a "mourning" atmosphere, with party representatives reiterating their refusal to cooperate with the AfD, despite speculation about potential defections of individual CDU politicians.

The Green party secured 9% of the vote, while the BSW party, led by Sahra Wagenknecht and also considered pro-Russian, is on the verge of parliamentary representation. The AfD's success is not confined to this state, as the party leads in national polls with nearly 30% support. The potential implications of an AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt include control over budgets and policy in areas like migration, education, and culture, as well as access to sensitive information. Concerns have been raised about potential mass deportations, the introduction of Russian into the school curriculum, reduced Holocaust remembrance funding, and the dismantling of public media.

Supporters like 25-year-old photography student Jana Sturm expressed disillusionment with the status quo, seeing the AfD as offering a necessary alternative. "We are tired of feeling abandoned by the elites in Berlin," she said, adding that Germany's changing priorities, including increased military spending and a perceived shift away from support for Israel and Jewish people, contribute to the rise of the right. Meanwhile, some Jewish and Israeli residents in Saxony-Anhalt expressed a shift in their perceived threats, with one musician in Magdeburg stating that the alliance between the far-left and radical Islam now poses a more immediate danger than the AfD.

The article also references two recent events in the state that may have fueled public anger: a December 2024 car attack on a Christmas market attributed to an anti-Muslim activist, and Intel's cancellation of a 30 billion euro microchip factory investment in Magdeburg. Despite a democratic protest against the AfD, their supporters appeared to significantly outnumber counter-protesters.