Alternative for Germany strengthens nationwide lead while local elections continue

The right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expanded its lead in a new nationwide poll released on September 13, 2026. According to the Insa institute, the AfD reached 29%, a one-percentage-point increase, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc, comprising the CDU and CSU, remained stagnant at 20%. The Greens rose to 14%, surpassing the Social Democrats (SPD) at 13%, with the Left party holding at 10%. This polling trend follows the AfD’s historic 43.8% performance in the Saxony-Anhalt state election.

Simultaneously, local elections in Lower Saxony yielded a win for the CDU, which secured 27.7% of the vote. The SPD followed with 24.5%, while the AfD saw a significant surge to 16.5%, up from 4.6% in the previous election. The Greens received 13.6% and the Left 5.9%, while the FDP faced uncertainty at 3.6%. These results arrive amidst growing public debate regarding Chancellor Merz’s political future. Additional regional elections are scheduled for the coming Sunday in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as voters continue to assess the national political landscape.