Germany: AfD Wins Saxony-Anhalt, Falls Short of Majority
The party won 43.8% of the vote and 39 seats, but still needs support from rivals or defectors to govern.
- On Sunday, the Alternative for Germany surged into first place in Saxony-Anhalt state elections with 44% of the vote, placing a far-right party on the cusp of state power for the first time since World War II.
- This result handed a drubbing to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union , ending the party's 24-year leadership in Saxony-Anhalt as voters expressed deep unpopularity with the ruling coalition's direction.
- The AfD secured 43.8% of the vote, representing 39 seats in the 83-member state parliament, with 35-year-old lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund declaring, "We have made history in this country."
- Alice Weidel, AfD co-chair, told CNN she expects Merz to be out by Christmas, while the Chancellor prepares for cabinet crisis talks today amid official results expected tonight.
- Voter turnout reached 77% in the election, reflecting a fracturing political landscape as the rise of hardline parties positions the AfD as a major force ahead of federal elections in 2029.
483 Articles
483 Articles
Germany's Hard-Right AfD Party Wins One. What Now?
The results of Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt state election on September 6 were far worse than feared for the country’s mainstream political parties. The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) came close to winning a majority of votes, with 43.8%. This was about 4% higher than polls had suggested. Support for the centre-right Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), on the other hand, imploded. It won 17.2% of the vote, down from 37.1% in 202…
Merz stumped as pro-Putin AfD storms to victory? German Chancellor’s 1st reaction after poll shocker
Friedrich Merz has delivered a stark response to the AfD's historic Saxony-Anhalt election result, admitting Germany had reached a “turning point” after his CDU suffered what he called its most serious defeat in decades. But the Chancellor also pointed east, saying there was “particular delight” 2,500 kilometres away and warning that Russia seeks to destabilise the West. Merz vowed he would not “budge one millimeter” on supporting Ukraine despit…
Germany’s AfD Makes Gains In East, But Falls Short of Majority
Germany’s far-right AfD has just taken a historic step forward. But can it actually turn that victory into power? In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD won 43.8% of the vote, falling just three seats short of an outright majority in the 83-seat state parliament. Now comes the difficult part: finding enough support to govern. AfD deputy parliamentary… Continue reading Germany’s AfD Makes Gains In East, But Falls Short of Majority
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