An Election in Germany Could Bring the Far-Right Its First State Leader

Voters in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt are heading to the polls on Sunday. The election could make history by producing the first far-right state governor in Germany since World War II ended in 1945. A party called the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, holds a big lead in polls before the vote. The outcome could shake up not just the state, but all of Germany.

The AfD is known mostly for its tough stance against immigration. It wants to deport people living in Germany without legal permission and cut back on benefits that it says attract migrants. The party's candidate for governor is Ulrich Siegmund, a 35-year-old who drew crowds at a campaign event in the small town of Moeser, where supporters met him over beer and sausages. Siegmund says every honest person in the state would benefit from an AfD-led government.

For years, Germany's mainstream parties have refused to work with the AfD. This unofficial rule is sometimes called a 'firewall.' If the AfD wins an outright majority of seats in the state legislature, it could form a government all on its own and break through that firewall. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has labeled the AfD's branch in Saxony-Anhalt a proven right-wing extremist group, though the party strongly denies being extreme.

The AfD has big plans for Saxony-Anhalt if it wins. It wants to allow homeschooling, which is currently banned across Germany. It also wants to stop schools from flying the rainbow flag and make sure they display the national flag instead. The party opposes sending money to Ukraine and wants to end sanctions against Russia, though those decisions belong to the national government, not state leaders.

The current governor of Saxony-Anhalt is Sven Schulze of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU. Schulze says an AfD government would leave the state isolated and cut off from the rest of Germany. He pointed out that many immigrants work in hospitals and businesses across the state, and pushing them away would create serious problems. 'AfD does one thing — it describes problems,' Schulze said. 'But it never has a solution for a problem.'

Even if the AfD wins the most votes, it may not end up governing the state. If it falls short of a full majority, no other party is willing to team up with it. That would force Schulze to build a difficult alliance with several smaller parties just to stay in power. Some voters might see that as politicians clinging to their jobs rather than listening to the people.

The election also matters for Germany's national leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz. His government has been struggling with a slow economy and low approval from voters. Political experts say that when the economy is doing poorly, it hurts all parties in power. Merz recently urged Germans to stop feeling gloomy and work together to move the country forward. How the CDU performs in Saxony-Anhalt could signal how much trouble Merz faces in the months ahead.