Far-right AfD landslide in German state piles pressure on federal government
Far-right AfD landslide in German state piles pressure on federal government. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesA landslide electoral victory for the far-right in the small but significant state of Saxony-Anhalt over the weekend is sending shockwaves through Europe and piling pressure on Germany's federal government.
What happened
The AfD landslide piles even more pressure on the already beleaguered centrist coalition government in Berlin. Skip NavigationMarketsBusinessInvestingTechPolitics & PolicyVideoWatchlistInvesting ClubPROLivestreamMenuKey PointsElections in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt over the weekend saw a decisive victory for the far-right AfD. While the eastern state is one of the smallest in the country, the result is being viewed as hugely significant and is set to pile pressure on the unpopular government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The far-right Alternative for Germany decisively won the state election in Saxony-Anhalt amid growing public discontent with the political establishment.
Initial results show the AfD securing 39 of 83 parliamentary seats, leaving it three seats short of an outright majority and uncertain over its ability to form a new state government. While the AfD has been growing in popularity for years, particularly in eastern Germany, the result raises the prospect of the hard right taking power in a German state for the first time since the Nazi era. Image source, ReutersImage caption, Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's leader in Saxony-Anhalt, says the result is a "clear mandate to govern"ByJessica Parker, reporting from Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Amy WalkerPublished7 September 2026, 11:03 BSTUpdated 3 hours agoThe far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is "very, very close" to taking power in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, its deputy parliamentary leader has told the BBC, after a historic victory in elections there.
The wider picture
No far-right party has controlled a German state since World War Two, and governing at state level would mean powers over policing and local education. The party's plans for Saxony-Anhalt, which include segregating child refugees into special classes and setting up a task-force to help detain and deport migrants who no longer have the right to be in the state, are highly controversial within Germany. Von Storch told the BBC the AfD was talking to individuals within the CDU group – the largest party in both the state's outgoing coalition and Germany's government – because they were "very, very unhappy with their own party".
Germany's far-right AfD set for big win in eastern state, just short of majorityPublished8 hours agoMemory wars: Election clash over Germany's Nazi past as AfD eyes power in eastPublished27 AugustAfD celebrate projected win in Saxony-AnhaltPublished22 hours agoGet our flagship newsletter with all the headlines you need to start the day. AfD celebrate projected win in Saxony-AnhaltAfD celebrate projected win in Saxony-AnhaltCloseGermany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is celebrating as exit polls show they are set to win more than 44% of the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
The "extraordinary" result may be the "most consequential German state-election result of the postwar era," according to analysts. A so-called "firewall" sees other parties in Germany agree not to cooperate with far-right in a way that would give it political power. " "This message is also directed at our friends in Europe and across the globe," he said, according to a Reuters report. watch nowVIDEO4:1004:10German industry suffers disproportionately from Iran war – ex-Finance MinisterEurope Early EditionThe "extraordinary" result may be the "most consequential German state-election result of the postwar era," Mujtaba Rahman, managing director for Europe at consultancy Eurasia Group, said Monday.
What has been reported
Public 'furious' over state of German economySaxony-Anhalt, a traditional hub for German chemicals and motor supplies, has "suffered disproportionately" from the post-unification collapse of east German industry and the recent spike in energy prices, Berenberg Chief Economist Holger Schmieding said in a Monday note. The result also deals a hammer blow to the federal government of Merz, who polling suggests is deeply unpopular. The public is "furious" and turning to challenger parties on both the left and right after five years of economic stagnation and a lack of job creation at a time when many traditional jobs are being lost in Germany, Altmaier continued.
"Saxony-Anhalt is one of the smallest states, of course, and the German democracy is strong and resilient. "On Monday, ministers in both Poland and France — also facing the prospect of mounting electoral gains for the far-right — called the German result worrying, according to local media reports. German markets were calm on Monday, with yields on government bonds, known as bunds, slightly higher, in line with the rest of Europe. ""Rising debt to pay for defense, challenges to the export-driven economic model, geopolitical upheaval and limited government can eventually challenge Bunds' stature as the risk-free asset of Europe and Germany's ability to cheaply fund its growth," he told CNBC.
1 million and the AfD in the state is assessed by domestic intelligence as "right-wing extremist", a classification rejected by Siegmund, 35.
What happens next
The AfD is currently heading for 39 seats in the 83-seat state parliament instead of the 42 needed for an outright majority, although the result has not yet been finalised. Ahead of Germany's federal election last year, US Vice-President JD Vance endorsed the party, in a move criticised in Germany as political interference. Asked about those who had expressed fears over the far-right party gaining power in the state, deputy parliamentary leader Beatrix von Storch told the BBC that its supporters were afraid of "losing our economy, they are afraid of losing our inner security".
Related topicsAlternative for Germany (AfD)GermanyEuropeChristian Democratic Union (CDU)More on this storyGermany's far-right AfD hails big victory in east, but falls short of majorityPublished8 hours agoHow significant are the historic gains of Germany's AfD for the rest of Europe? Published13 hours agoGermany's far-right AfD bids for first taste of power in eastern votePublished2 days ago This is the first outstanding electoral landslide for a hard-right nationalist party – giving it a real shot at governing, in this case, at regional level – since the fall of the Third Reich in 1945.
The German authorities have labelled the AfD, in part, anti-democratic and a number of regional factions of the party, including Saxony-Anhalt, far-right extremist.
The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across cnbc.com, bbc.co.uk. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.