AfD Polls at 42% Ahead of Saxony-Anhalt Elections

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is polling at up to 42% ahead of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, 2026. A victory could grant the far-right party an absolute majority, allowing it to appoint a state premier and govern alone for the first time in German history.

If successful, the AfD would control state-level policing, public broadcasting, and education. The party has proposed revising history curricula to emphasize national achievements over wartime crimes and intends to defund anti-racism initiatives. At the federal level, such a victory would provide the party with more seats in the Bundesrat, potentially disrupting European unity through opposition to military aid for Ukraine and climate action.

The party's rise follows the perceived failure of the Brandmauer, or firewall, strategy. This policy of non-cooperation, led by the Christian Democratic Union of Germany to isolate far-right extremists, has been criticized for insulating the AfD from government accountability and blurring the distinctions between mainstream political parties.