AfD Poised to Form Germany’s First Far‑Right State Government Since WWII

When the ballot boxes were opened in Saxony‑Anhalt on Sunday, the numbers that started to trickle in looked almost surreal for a country that has, since 1945, steered clear of far‑right rule at any level. The Alternative for Germany – the AfD – was on track for roughly 44 % of the vote, a jump that dwarfs its modest 2 % showing in the same region a half‑decade ago.

Ulrich Siegmund, the 35‑year‑old lead candidate, addressed the crowds on the night of the count with a mix of triumph and resolve. “We have written history,” he told the public broadcaster ARD, adding that voters had signaled “things cannot carry on like this.” He singled out Chancellor Friedrich Merz, calling the chancellor’s daily presence in the chancellery “one too many” for his party’s fortunes.

The AfD’s ambition is crystal clear: it wants an outright majority in the 115‑seat state parliament so it can govern alone, bypassing the long‑standing “firewall” that mainstream parties have erected to keep right‑wing populists out of coalition talks. If it does clinch that magic number – which the latest exit‑polls suggest is within reach – Germany would see its first far‑right state government in more than 80 years.

That prospect is a painful blow to Merz’s centre‑right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which has ruled Saxony‑Anhalt for the past 24 years. The CDU is now projected at just 18 % of the vote, roughly half its previous standing. The Left, the Social Democrats and the Greens are each hovering around 9 %, while the smaller BSW party may fall short of the 5 % threshold needed for seats.

Even if the AfD falls just shy of an absolute majority, it will still emerge as the state’s strongest force, forcing the CDU and possibly the Left into a delicate balancing act. In Thuringia two years ago, a similar scenario unfolded: the CDU formed a minority government despite a strong AfD showing, but that required tacit toleration from parties that ordinarily refuse to sit with the far‑right.

Should the AfD take the reins, Siegmund has already outlined a litany of policy shifts. He talks of a “deportation offensive,” wants to scrap incentives that attract migrants, and aims to wrest control of the regional public broadcaster, accusing it of “disinformation.” On education, he proposes legalising home‑schooling – a first for Germany – and hints at withdrawing the state from the nationwide broadcaster’s remit.

The party’s rise has also rekindled debates about its extremist label. Germany’s domestic intelligence service classifies the Saxony‑Anhalt branch as a proven right‑wing extremist group, citing anti‑muslim rhetoric and calls for “remigration.” AfD leaders, however, dismiss those designations as politically motivated attacks.

For now, the nation watches as the final vote count rolls in. Whether Siegmund will finally crack the “firewall” and govern alone, or whether Berlin’s mainstream parties will find a way to sideline the AfD, remains the biggest political question of the year.