Far-right AfD wins historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt regional elections

On September 6, 2026, the state of Saxony-Anhalt in eastern Germany held regional elections that resulted in a historic victory for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Led by Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD secured 43.8% of the vote, effectively doubling its support from the 2021 elections and obtaining 39 out of 83 seats in the state parliament. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), historically a dominant force, suffered a significant decline, falling to 17.2%. Other parties, including the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens, The Left (Die Linke), and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), cleared the 5% threshold, while the Free Democratic Party (FDP) failed to win representation.

Despite its strong performance, the AfD remains three seats short of the 42 required for an absolute majority. The political landscape is now facing a stalemate, as all other major parties have ruled out forming a coalition with the AfD, citing its nationalist and anti-establishment stance. The result poses a major challenge to the federal government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and tests the sustainability of the established German political "firewall" against far-right participation in government. Future governance remains uncertain as party leaders navigate the complex parliamentary arithmetic required to form a stable administration.