Far-right AfD wins vote in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt state: Exit polls
News Source
•Sun, 06 Sep 2026 16:07:08 +0000
📰 What Happened
Germany's far-right AfD has won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. Exit polls gave the party 44.5 percent of the vote. The centre-right CDU, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, won only 18.5 percent.
It would be the first time a far-right party takes power at state level since World War II. Leader Alice Weidel called the result 'historic.' The AfD narrowly missed an absolute majority. It is not yet clear if it can form a government.
🔍 The Backstory
The AfD was founded in 2013 as an anti-euro party. It later became known for its tough anti-immigration and anti-Islam positions. Germany's mainstream parties have refused to work with it. This unwritten rule is called the firewall.
Saxony-Anhalt is in eastern Germany, where the AfD is strongest. The party has never joined a ruling coalition in any of Germany's 16 states. This result puts the firewall under its biggest test yet. Other state elections may follow the same pattern.
🎯 Why It Matters
Germany is Europe's biggest economy, so its politics ripple across the continent. A far-right state government would be a first since WWII. The result shows many voters feel left behind and distrust mainstream parties.
Germany's far-right AfD has won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt. Exit polls gave the party 44.5 percent of the vote. The centre-right CDU, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, won only 18.5 percent.
It would be the first time a far-right party takes power at state level since World War II. Leader Alice Weidel called the result 'historic.' The AfD narrowly missed an absolute majority. It is not yet clear if it can form a government.
The AfD was founded in 2013 as an anti-euro party. It later became known for its tough anti-immigration and anti-Islam positions. Germany's mainstream parties have refused to work with it. This unwritten rule is called the firewall.
Saxony-Anhalt is in eastern Germany, where the AfD is strongest. The party has never joined a ruling coalition in any of Germany's 16 states. This result puts the firewall under its biggest test yet. Other state elections may follow the same pattern.
Germany is Europe's biggest economy, so its politics ripple across the continent. A far-right state government would be a first since WWII. The result shows many voters feel left behind and distrust mainstream parties.