AfD surges to first place in Saxony-Anhalt state election

Magdeburg, Germany, September 7, 2026 — Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged in first place in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election on Sunday, according to exit polls, marking a major breakthrough for the party and potentially bringing it closer than ever to exercising power at the state level.

The AfD received 44 percent of the vote, according to exit poll results, although the party fell short of an outright majority. The result dealt a significant blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative camp and reflected growing dissatisfaction with Germany’s federal government.

As vote counting continued, it remained unclear whether the AfD would be able to form a state government. Germany’s mainstream political parties have so far ruled out cooperation with the party.

The election drew a turnout of around 77 percent, according to broadcaster ZDF.

“We have made history in this country,” said Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s 35-year-old lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt. He described the state election as an important step toward the party’s longer-term ambitions at the national level.

A survey by broadcaster ARD found that 87 percent of voters in Saxony-Anhalt were dissatisfied with the federal government. Marcel Fratzscher, president of the German Institute for Economic Research, told Reuters that the election result represented, above all, a vote of no confidence in the federal government.

Merz has promised to revive Germany’s economy through business-oriented reforms and increased spending. He had also warned that an AfD victory could damage Saxony-Anhalt’s reputation and discourage foreign investment.

The AfD has grown rapidly since its formation in 2013 and has become one of Germany’s strongest political forces. According to a recent INSA poll cited in the report, the party was polling at 28 percent nationally, ahead of the conservatives at 20 percent.

The party’s political agenda includes tougher immigration policies, closer ties with Russia, reduced support for Ukraine and withdrawal from the euro. It has also campaigned for more traditional social and cultural policies.