Key facts
- The far-right AfD party is leading in polls for the Saxony-Anhalt state election.
- AfD's platform includes anti-immigration measures and opposition to wind farm expansion.
- Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's top candidate, is 35 years old and has a significant following.
- Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV) classifies the AfD's state branch as right-wing extremist.
- Major parties maintain a policy of non-cooperation with the AfD.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is leading in opinion polls ahead of a state election in Saxony-Anhalt, fueling business concerns and boosting the anti-immigration party's momentum. The AfD has consistently polled at 40 percent or higher in the state, with its top candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, a 35-year-old who commands a significant following, particularly on TikTok.
Siegmund's campaign promises include an immediate "remigration and deportation" offensive targeting irregular migrants, a ban on LGBTQ pride flags in public schools, and an end to new wind farms. The party has also appealed to voters by evoking nostalgia for East Germany and highlighting the enduring wealth gap with western states decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Sven Schulze, the 47-year-old incumbent state premier from the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), is seeking to prevent an AfD government and maintain rule through a multi-party coalition. He has warned voters that the "far right leads into the ditch."
Despite the AfD's strong showing, many in Germany are wary of the party's rise, given the country's history. Germany's domestic intelligence agency, BfV, categorizes the AfD's state branch as a "right-wing extremist" organization, noting that many AfD politicians use language that demonizes migrants and refugees, violating the principle of human dignity. Other major parties have maintained a "firewall" of non-cooperation with the AfD.