Exit polls from German broadcasters ARD and ZDF project the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning approximately 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, a dramatic increase from 20.8% in 2021. The SPD is projected at around 8%, Die Linke at 9%, while the Greens and BSW hover near the 5% threshold to enter parliament. The result positions the AfD for potential control of the state government for the first time since the Nazi era, as The Zioneer assessed earlier today.
Exit polls published Sunday evening by German broadcasters ARD and ZDF project the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) winning approximately 44% of the vote in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, a dramatic surge from 20.8% in 2021 and above pre-election polling that had placed the party at 41–42%. The result positions the AfD for potential control of a state government for the first time since the Nazi era.
Earlier Sunday, The Zioneer reported that voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt reached 54.4% by midday, double the figure at the same hour in 2021, citing N12 and local reports. The desk assessed that Germany was on course for a political earthquake, with the AfD poised to win a state government for the first time since the Nazi era. Those projections have now been confirmed by exit polls from multiple broadcasters.
As The Zioneer has previously reported, Germany's domestic intelligence agency documented a 40% rise in AfD members classified as far-right extremists over the past year, with no sign of the party moderating. The AfD, a vocal supporter of Israel in the German political arena, opposes unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The outcome is expected to intensify debate within Chancellor Friedrich Merz's ruling coalition, which is already under strain amid declining popularity, as The Zioneer reported on Friday.
The AfD's path to an absolute majority depends on final results and on how many smaller parties cross the 5% threshold. The Greens and the BSW hover near the threshold, while the FDP is projected below it. A failure by either party to enter parliament would lower the effective vote share needed for a majority. Final official results are expected later tonight.
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