AfD Wins Big in German State Vote—But Still 3 Seats Short of Power
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won a historic victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, capturing 43.8% of the vote but falling just short of the majority needed to govern alone.
The anti-immigration party, known in German as Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), more than doubled its support from the 2021 election and won 39 parliamentary seats—three short of the 42 needed for an outright majority [236968]. The result marks the first time since World War II that a far-right party has won a state election in Germany, though other parties have so far refused to form a coalition with it [237144].
The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which had governed the state for 20 years, suffered a devastating defeat, falling to 17.2% of the vote—a loss of more than half its previous support [236968][236902]. The Social Democrats (SPD) came in third with 9.3%, followed by the Greens with 8.9% and the Left Party with 8.6% [236968].
Voter turnout was exceptionally high at 77.8%, the highest participation in a state election since Germany’s reunification [236968].
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund called the result a “clear” mandate to govern and said his party had made “history” [236968]. However, his path to power remains blocked. The newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which won 5.3% of the vote, now holds a key position in the state parliament and has left open the possibility of supporting an AfD minority government on a case-by-case basis [236968].
The election is seen as a warning to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s federal government, with many voters using their ballots to protest rising energy costs, immigration policies, and economic reforms [236967][236866]. The CDU has pledged to maintain its “firewall” against cooperation with the AfD, leaving the state’s political future uncertain [234112][237144].