Germany’s Far-Right Could Win a State for the First Time Since WWII

Sunday’s election in Saxony-Anhalt may hand the far-right AfD its first state government in Germany since the Nazi era. About 1.7 million people are eligible to vote in the eastern state, with two more state polls—Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin—following on 20 September. The anti-immigrant Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is expected to make strong gains in all three contests. The results could reshape Germany’s political landscape and put new pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s federal government. Observers are watching closely to see whether the AfD will form a ruling coalition or remain in opposition. A win would mark a historic shift in a country long wary of far-right power.