Germany’s centre-right party, led by Friedrich Merz since 2022
The AfD is polling ahead in Saxony-Anhalt ahead of state elections on 6 September, arguing for a patriotic cultural policy and a shift in how German history is taught. The party has pledged to change curricula, raise the flag in schools, and preserve war memorials. Critics warn of risks to liberal democracy and Bauhaus heritage.
The AfD has surged in Saxony-Anhalt, threatening to win an outright majority in the state election. CDU trails and coalition dynamics loom as parties weigh their options in the wake of a results shock that could reshape Germany’s political landscape.
The AfD has finished first in Saxony-Anhalt with about 43–44% of the vote, short of an absolute majority. CDU falls sharply, while BSW hints at possible cooperation. The result challenges Germany’s firewall against governing with the far right and raises questions about future coalition dynamics.
Saxony-Anhalt has delivered a landslide for the AfD, with CDU’s share falling to 17% and the far-right party signaling coalition-building. Merz has acknowledged the defeat, pledging to press on with reforms as the party faces a reshaped national landscape.
AfD has won about 44% in Saxony-Anhalt, raising the possibility it could form Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II. Minority communities fear renewed hostility as elections also loom in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Parties across Germany assess the implications for democracy and policy.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won about 44% in Saxony‑Anhalt, taking 39 of 83 seats and falling three short of a majority. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has condemned the party's "remigration" plans as ethnic cleansing and has faced domestic backlash after the result; international figures including Donald Trump and Elon Musk have praised the AfD.
The AfD has topped voting in Saxony-Anhalt and is forming talks to lead the state government, while about 150,000 demonstrators across 20 cities protest calls to ban the party. Berlin hosts a counter-rally as mainstream parties face pressure over the rise of Germany’s far right.
Regional ballots in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have shown heavy losses for Friedrich Merz’s CDU and strong gains for the far-right AfD, two weeks after the AfD routed the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt. Merz has cancelled travel, convened CDU leaders and cleared his diary as party figures warn the results will increase pressure on his leadership.
Regional elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin show the CDU losing ground to the AfD, with Merz under pressure as coalition dynamics shift and economic frustration grows. The AfD leads inMecklenburg-Vorpommern and gains momentum nationwide, while Berlin hints at coalition recalibration.
Voters in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have delivered a severe setback for the CDU and boosted the AfD, while Berlin’s ballot shows Die Linke gaining ground. Merz vows to push ahead with reforms as the far-right gains momentum across Germany.
Chancellor Merz has vowed to press ahead with reforms after regional election losses in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, while CDU faces questions over leadership as AfD gains ground. Five more state elections are planned next year.
Berlin’s state election has put Elif Eralp of Die Linke on track to become the city’s governing mayor. Her victory signals a potential historic shift and faces coalition hurdles as pro-poor housing plans meet resistance from other parties.
Germany faces a shift in regional politics as left-leaning coalitions gain ground in Berlin and Saxony-Anhalt, while the CDU suffers its worst state-level result. The developments reflect broader European trends and prompt questions about future governance.
Die Linke faces intensified scrutiny as Berlin coalition talks continue, amid accusations of antisemitism within the party’s Berlin branch and related protests. Elif Eralp’s bid to become Berlin mayor is complicated by the controversy, with leaders calling for accountability and clearer distancing from antisemitic positions.
Heidenau’s town council has halted new Stolpersteine plaques, shifting memorials to a cemetery site amid pressure from AfD and CDU allies. The move has drawn international criticism and intensifies debates over how Germany remembers Holocaust victims. The decision comes as AfD gains polling momentum and mainstream parties wrestle with their approach to remembrance in the east.
The CDU has suffered a crushing setback in two regional elections, with the AfD leading in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin, prompting questions about Chancellor Merz's future as pressure mounts for reform and coalition strategy.
The AfD has won power in Saxony-Anhalt and the broader German political landscape is facing a realignment as multiple parties confront the far right's gains. Bundestag calculations, Berlin’s shifting Left/Green dynamics, and CDU vulnerability are in focus as coalition options and firewall politics are tested.
Germany’s ruling coalition is pursuing reforms to pensions, long-term care, and an income-tax cut as leaders from the CDU and SPD meet in Berlin after constructive talks at the chancellery.
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.
France faces a third weekend of protests over cost of living and education with thousands of police deployed nationwide. Demonstrations plan to press demands on school funding and Parcoursup reforms, while authorities warn of a high risk of disorder and deploy measures to limit violence.