AfD wins 44.4% in Saxony-Anhalt state election as CDU vote falls to 18.4%
The far-right Alternative for Germany won 44.4% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, outpacing the Christian Democrats by 26 points and triggering political reactions across Europe.
Election results in Saxony-Anhalt
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured first place in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, winning 44.4% of the vote according to exit polls. The result placed the party 26 percentage points ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which finished second with 18.4%. Left-wing party Die Linke placed third with 9.3%, followed by the Greens at 8.7%, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) at 8.4%, and the BSW party at 5.0%. Voter turnout was approximately 78% across the state of 2.1 million residents. The 35-year-old lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund addressed supporters after projections were released.
This is an extraordinary day for our homeland and for our movement.
- AfD
- 44.4 %
- CDU
- 18.4 %
- Die Linke
- 9.3 %
- Greens
- 8.7 %
- SPD
- 8.4 %
- BSW
- 5 %
Government formation and political platform
The state parliament in Magdeburg comprises 83 seats, meaning 42 seats are required for an absolute governing majority. Siegmund stated that the party would not compromise on its core policies to enter power, while mainstream parties continued to rule out entering a coalition with the AfD. The party platform in Saxony-Anhalt calls for the expulsion of undocumented migrants through remigration, leaving the euro currency, establishing segregated school classes for disabled children and non-Germans, cutting funding for public broadcasting, and altering school curricula regarding the Nazi era. An investigation by Welt reported that four advisers and program contributors for Siegmund previously belonged to Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, an organization banned by federal authorities in 2010.
With me you will never see any compromise on our values in the name of power.
European and international reactions
International figures and European political leaders reacted quickly to the vote count in Magdeburg. French Europe Minister Benjamin Haddad described the election outcome as a critical moment for the continent, urging mainstream leaders to address public grievances directly.
We must listen with humility to the anger, the concerns, the fears, and respond to them.
In Italy, the outcome caused friction within the ruling coalition. Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini congratulated AfD co-leader Alice Weidel and called the vote an exercise in democracy, while Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned the AfD as antithetical to Western liberal values. General Roberto Vannacci celebrated the outcome, whereas Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni issued no public statement. Outside Europe, United States President Donald Trump posted a screenshot of the election projections on Truth Social, and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev commended the AfD performance. Tech executive Elon Musk congratulated Weidel on social media, prompting Siegmund to post a message welcoming future cooperation with him.
Federal impact and upcoming ballots
The outcome in Saxony-Anhalt follows regional shifts in eastern Germany and precedes upcoming elections in the city-state of Berlin and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania scheduled for 20 September 2026. Merz's CDU saw its vote share halved compared to prior regional performance, creating fresh pressure on his federal leadership in Berlin. The European Union also prepares for general elections across Italy, Spain, Greece, Poland, and France in 2027. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized domestic political figures in Warsaw who celebrated the German far-right party's result, while former Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban warned that further political shifts across the continent would follow.
