AfD wins 44.5% in Saxony-Anhalt exit poll as EU Vice-President Ștefănuță warns of European trend

Exit poll results in Saxony-Anhalt

Exit poll estimates released on Sunday evening, 6 September 2026, place Alternative for Germany (AfD) in first place with 44.5% of the vote in the state election of Saxony-Anhalt. The result marks a sharp contraction for the conservative party of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which has led the state government continuously since 2002. Projections indicate that Merz's conservative faction fell to 18.5%, down from the 37.1% share recorded during the previous regional vote in 2021. The projected tally leaves the party well behind AfD across the eastern German state.

European Parliament reaction to polling trends

European Parliament Vice-President Nicu Ștefănuță, an independent lawmaker from Romania, published an assessment of the German election on Sunday evening. Ștefănuță argued that the outcome in Saxony-Anhalt disproves persistent claims among political commentators that right-wing populist parties are overinflated in opinion polls and unlikely to mobilize voters at ballot boxes. Drawing a direct comparison with the political landscape in Romania, he pointed to figures such as Călin Georgescu and George Simion as leaders gaining ground amid political crises.

Ștefănuță urged political parties to stop relying on assumptions about voter behavior.

Do not speculate any longer that AUR supporters are inflated in polls, but that people will not vote for such things, blah blah. How much more evidence is needed that people will actually vote like this?

Fiscal policy and campaign execution

Ștefănuță linked the rise of radical right parties to government spending cuts and austerity measures that affect vulnerable segments of the population. He criticized economic managers for implementing poorly explained budget adjustments while also condemning previous administrations for expanding deficits through reckless electoral spending. According to Ștefănuță, citizens focus primarily on everyday economic problems rather than abstract discussions about democracy and the rule of law. He noted that AfD succeeded in Saxony-Anhalt by running a structured campaign with a nominated candidate for state prime minister.

He warned that unpopular fiscal measures risk triggering severe voter backlash.

Government cuts have led to the growth of the far right. Repeat this with Romania in mind.

European electoral outlook and upcoming races

The European Parliament official stated that the expansion of far-right support is visible across the continent rather than confined to individual regions. He characterized the earlier political defeat of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as an exception rather than the standard trajectory of European politics. Looking ahead, Ștefănuță pointed to upcoming ballots in Europe, including France, where Marine Le Pen currently leads opinion surveys ahead of next year's presidential election. He stressed that stopping radical movements requires detailed administrative planning, clear policy alternatives, and disciplined technical campaigning rather than reliance on ideological declarations.

Ștefănuță concluded that democratic forces must prepare for demanding political contests across the European Union.

The far-right wave is as real as can be everywhere in Europe. Unfortunately, the fall of Orbán was the exception, not the rule. Every election in Europe will have to be a fierce fight, won with organization, not with wishes.