German Exit Polls Show Far-Right AfD Leading Saxony-Anhalt Vote

Berlin — Germany’s anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is projected to win the most votes in the closely watched regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls released Sunday. The results suggest a significant surge for the far-right party, which now leads Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) by a wide margin.

Projections from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF indicate the AfD could secure between 44.1% and 44.5% of the vote, compared to 18.5% for the CDU. If accurate, this would represent a doubling of the AfD’s 2021 share of 20.8%, while halving the CDU’s previous performance. It remains unclear, however, whether the party has secured enough seats to form a majority government in the state parliament.

A successful bid to form a government would mark the first time the far-right has taken control of a German state since World War II. The party, which is classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence authorities in several states, has demonstrated that its anti-establishment appeal extends beyond eastern Germany. The AfD is also currently polling first at the federal level.

AfD federal leader Alice Weidel told ZDF that the party is experiencing “explosive growth” in Saxony-Anhalt and predicted similar trends across East Germany and at the national level. She asserted that Chancellor Merz’s conservatives would never win another election.

The election was driven by 35-year-old candidate Ulrich Siegmund, a former marketer known for a polished appearance and a radical platform. Dressed in crisp white shirts and maintaining a consistent smile, Siegmund campaigns aggressively on immigration, calling for mass deportations and sweeping changes to education and media policies. The party has also advocated for closer ties with Russia and the MAGA movement in the United States.

Following the initial results, Siegmund declared, “We have written history,” and thanked Chancellor Merz, stating the chancellor had been “a very good campaigner for us.”