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Lawmakers in German state elect new governor amid political shifts

Sven Schulze, former economy minister, was elected to strengthen CDU ahead of September election where far-right AfD leads with 39% support, according to a recent poll.

  • On January 28, 2026, the Saxony-Anhalt state legislature elected Sven Schulze as premier, replacing long-serving governor Reiner Haseloff.
  • Reiner Haseloff announced this month he would step down early, and Schulze was designated last year as the CDU's candidate to prevent an AfD victory in September.
  • Winning comfortably in the first round, Sven Schulze avoided run-off votes while the Christian Democratic Union, Social Democrats, and Free Democrats united behind him in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament.
  • Poll numbers put Alternative for Germany well ahead of the Christian Democratic Union at 39% to 26%, raising stakes for the so-called 'firewall' strategy ahead of the September vote where AfD could win state control for the first time.
  • Having capitalized on economic discontent, the Alternative for Germany presents broader challenges for mainstream parties, as opposition to migration remains its signature issue and incumbents like Reiner Haseloff have fended off AfD in recent years.
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62 Articles

Lean Right

Stuttgarter Nachrichten [Newsroom]Stuttgart (ots) - Haseloff and Schulze stand for a course of clear edge over the AfD. It has prevailed for the time being. However, the party does not agree. Parts of a black-blue cooperation are open ... Continue reading here...Original content of: Stuttgarter Nachrichten, transmitted by news aktuell

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Center

The 46-year-old replaces Reiner Haseloff as the new CDU Prime Minister - who wanted to give his successor an office bonus. Even from the ranks of the opposition comes tailwind.

·Bonn, Germany
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Lean Left

Sven Schulze (CDU) is the new Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt. He came into office earlier than planned to keep the AfD in check before the state elections

·Vienna, Austria
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Lean Left

Sven Schulze is the new CDU Prime Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. The official bonus is supposed to help with the state elections in September. But it may already be too late.

·Germany
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Schulze is regarded as a good specialist politician, but not as a human catcher. Who is the man who wants to maintain his position in the September elections against the AfD?

·Zürich, Switzerland
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Center

The CDU country chairman Schulze is the new Prime Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. The former Minister of Economics was elected in the Magdeburger Landtag with 58 out of 97 votes. Who is the new head of government and why should the start for him not be easy? An overview.

·Germany
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  • 41% of the sources lean Left
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LVZ - Leipziger Volkszeitung broke the news in Leipzig, Germany on Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
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