AfD Scores Historic Victory in German State Election but Falls Short of Majority

Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has achieved a historic victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, becoming the strongest political force in the regional parliament while falling short of the majority required to govern alone.

The result represents a major setback for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservative Christian Democratic Union and could intensify debate over the growing influence of the far right in German politics.

AfD Takes First Place

The AfD won roughly 44% of the vote, more than doubling its previous result in the state. The CDU, which had dominated Saxony-Anhalt for years, fell to around 17–18%, according to preliminary results and election reporting.

The result gives the AfD its strongest-ever performance in the state and places it closer to controlling a German regional government than at any previous point since the Second World War.

However, the party did not win enough seats to form a government by itself. AP reported that the AfD finished three seats short of an outright majority in the 83-seat state parliament.

Coalition Problem Remains

Despite its electoral strength, the AfD faces a major obstacle: Germany’s established political parties have maintained a policy of refusing to form governing coalitions with it.

That means the party’s victory does not automatically translate into control of the state government.

AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund has celebrated the result as a historic political mandate, but forming a stable administration will depend on the complicated distribution of seats among the other parties.

CDU Suffers Heavy Losses

The election produced a particularly difficult result for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU.

The conservatives had governed Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, but their support fell dramatically compared with the previous election. The result reflects broader dissatisfaction with Germany’s governing coalition and provides the AfD with a significant political boost.

The CDU now faces the challenge of finding a governing arrangement while maintaining its longstanding refusal to cooperate with the AfD.

Migration and Economic Concerns

The AfD’s campaign focused heavily on immigration, security and dissatisfaction with established political parties.

The party also advocates closer relations with Russia and opposes continued German support for Ukraine, positions that distinguish it sharply from Chancellor Merz’s government.

Saxony-Anhalt’s election therefore carries implications beyond state-level politics, particularly because Germany remains one of Europe’s most important supporters of Ukraine.

High Voter Turnout

The election also produced unusually strong voter participation.

AP reported turnout at approximately 77.8%, indicating substantial public engagement with a contest that had attracted national attention.

The strong turnout suggests that the election was not simply driven by a small group of highly motivated voters. Instead, the result reflected a broader political contest over immigration, economic conditions, Germany’s relationship with Europe and the country’s approach toward Russia and Ukraine.

National Implications

The AfD’s success in Saxony-Anhalt is likely to be closely watched across Germany.

The party has already established itself as a major opposition force nationally, and a strong regional result could strengthen its argument that it is capable of attracting voters well beyond its traditional base.

For mainstream parties, the result presents another warning that refusing to cooperate with the AfD does not prevent the party from gaining electoral strength.

At the same time, the AfD’s inability to secure an outright majority demonstrates the continuing importance of Germany’s political firewall against the far right.

Difficult Government Formation Ahead

The immediate challenge is now forming a functioning state government.

With the AfD as the largest party but without a majority, negotiations among the remaining parties could become complicated. The final governing arrangement will determine whether the election becomes primarily a symbolic breakthrough for the AfD or produces a substantial shift in policy at the state level.

For Germany’s political establishment, however, the message from Saxony-Anhalt is already significant: the AfD has moved further into the center of the country’s political competition, and its growing electoral strength is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.