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AfD wins 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt, aiming state leadership

9/8/2026

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Summary

AfD Landslide

AfD won a landslide in Saxony-Anhalt, securing 43.8% of the vote.
Ulrich Siegmund, AfD’s candidate, aims to become the first far-right state leader.
Alice Weidel, AfD co-leader, called the result “sensational” and a clear mandate.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union rejected any cooperation with AfD after the vote.
Migrant groups reported rising anxiety, with some families planning to leave Saxony-Anhalt.

Summary

BSW backs AfD

BSW leader Thomas Schulze said his party will back an AfD governor in Saxony-Anhalt.
Forming a non-AfD coalition would require the CDU, SPD, Greens, Left and BSW to unite.
AfD could secure a governing majority if three legislators from other parties defect.
Analysts note a five-party alliance would be unprecedented, complex and likely unstable.
Volker Resing said BSW could become a kingmaker and shared Russia stance might break the firewall.

History

Historical Context

The 1990 Saxony-Anhalt election, held weeks after German reunification on 3 October 1990, gave the Christian Democratic Union a decisive majority and set the post-reunification political framework. Ulrich Siegmund’s AfD victory now mirrors that early CDU strength, while the CDU’s refusal to join a coalition underscores the fragmented, multi-party alliances that have persisted across German states since the early 1990s.

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AfD Landslide

AfD won a landslide in Saxony-Anhalt, securing 43.8% of the vote.
Ulrich Siegmund, AfD’s candidate, aims to become the first far-right state leader.
Alice Weidel, AfD co-leader, called the result “sensational” and a clear mandate.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union rejected any cooperation with AfD after the vote.
Migrant groups reported rising anxiety, with some families planning to leave Saxony-Anhalt.

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