Overview
- German exit polls and intermediate counts on Sunday showed the far-right Alternative for Germany as the largest party in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, winning roughly half the seats but likely falling short of an outright majority.
- AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund celebrated the result on public broadcaster ARD and said voters demanded fundamental political reform.
- The party’s platform centers on stricter immigration rules and reduced support for Ukraine, positions that helped boost its vote in the eastern states.
- If AfD can secure cooperation from other parties to form a government, it would gain control over state powers such as education, culture, and policing that directly affect daily life.
- The result marks the second state where AfD has become the largest party and highlights a wider trend of growing right‑wing support in eastern Germany rooted in long‑running post‑reunification grievances.