What's happened
The far-right AfD is pushing to install Germany’s first far-right state premier since World War II in Saxony-Anhalt as national polls show the party leading. The move follows a leak of emails suggesting cordial ties with the U.S. administration after 2016, highlighting the party’s controversial rise.
What's behind the headline?
What this means in context
- The AfD’s push in Saxony-Anhalt signals a potential shift in postwar German politics toward a more permissive stance toward a far-right governing role.
- The leak of emails and documents shows strategic outreach to foreign powers, which could influence domestic policy framing and legitimacy.
- As polls tilt toward the AfD, the party could leverage regional power to push national agendas — including immigration and security policies — that differ from the current coalition’s stance.
- The public reaction will shape how other parties recalibrate coalitions and red lines, possibly accelerating a broader realignment in German politics.
Forecast
- If the AfD secures Saxony-Anhalt, expect intensified scrutiny of far-right strategy in Germany and potential policy shifts at the state level.
- Nationally, the coalition may recalibrate governance approaches to counter growth in right-wing support and mitigate reputational risk from ties to extremist groups.
How we got here
The AfD has risen from a 2013-2017 foothold to leading polls in Saxony-Anhalt, having grown on anti-immigration sentiment after the 2015–16 refugee intake and securing 43.8% in the state in September. The broader German political landscape remains divided, with most parties refusing to govern with the AfD. Recent disclosures detail alleged close contacts with the Trump administration in 2016, including a proposed congratulatory telegram to Trump.
Our analysis
The Guardian reports on the leaked emails and the party’s historical behavior; Politico covers the internal party dynamics and fears among CDU leaders; The New Arab outlines the broader implications of the data breach and the party’s stance on democracy.
Go deeper
- Will Saxony-Anhalt’s AfD leadership survive the vote in December?
- How will Berlin respond if the AfD leads a state government again in the east?
- What safeguards are other parties considering to prevent a far-right government?
More on these topics
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Alternative for Germany - Political party
Alternative for Germany is a right-wing to far-right political party in Germany. Founded in April 2013, the AfD narrowly missed the 5% electoral threshold to sit in the Bundestag during the 2013 federal election.
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Saxony-Anhalt - German state
Saxony-Anhalt and has a population of 2.19 million inhabitants, making it the 8th-largest state in Germany by area and the 11th-largest by population. Its capital is Magdeburg and its largest city is Halle (Saale).
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Angela Merkel - Chancellor of Germany
Angela Dorothea Merkel is a German politician who has been Chancellor of Germany since 2005. She served as the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union from 2000 to 2018.
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Friedrich Merz - German lawyer
Friedrich Merz is a German lawyer and politician. A member of the Christian Democratic Union, he served as a Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1994 and was elected to the Bundestag from 1994 until 2009, where he chaired the CDU/CSU parliament
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Alice Weidel - Member of the Bundestag
Alice Elisabeth Weidel is a German politician and has been the leader of the right-wing Alternative for Germany in the Bundestag since October 2017.