Exit polls from the Saxony-Anhalt state election show the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning 44.5% of the vote, more than double the 18.5% of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU. The result marks the first time since World War II that a far-right party is set to lead a German state government. The AfD fell short of an absolute majority, meaning it would need coalition partners to govern.
Exit polls published Sunday evening by German broadcasters ARD and ZDF project the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning 44–44.5% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, a historic result that would make it the first far-right party to lead a German state government since the Nazi era.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Sunday, polls opened with the AfD heavily favored. The final projection places the party well ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which stands at approximately 18.5% — a sharp defeat for the national governing party. The Social Democrats (SPD) are projected at around 8%, while the Left Party (Die Linke) is at about 9%. The Greens and the BSW hover near the 5% threshold to enter the state parliament; the Free Democrats (FDP) are projected below it.
While the AfD's share represents a dramatic increase from the 20.8% it won in the 2021 election, it fell short of an outright majority. Whether the AfD can secure a majority of seats depends on how many smaller parties clear the 5% threshold; a high share of votes going to parties that fail to enter parliament would lower the effective threshold for a majority.
The result marks a seismic shift in German politics, with implications for the country's democratic norms and its relationship with the Jewish community. The AfD has positioned itself as a supporter of Israel while facing persistent accusations of antisemitism and historical revisionism.
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