AfD Youth Congress in Magdeburg Backs Ulrich Siegmund Ahead of State Vote

Gathering in Magdeburg

Around 300 delegates of Generation Deutschland, the youth organization of Alternative for Germany (AfD), met on August 29, 2026, at the Altes Theater in Magdeburg. The congress took place one week ahead of the September 6 state election in Saxony-Anhalt, where polls place the AfD at approximately 40%. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has held the office of minister-president in the state for 24 years. Florian Ruß, chairman of the youth wing in Saxony-Anhalt and a federal board member, opened the meeting with the greeting, "Welcome to the East, welcome to Prussia." Ruß stated that the election would result in lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund taking leadership of the state government.

Speeches from state leadership

Martin Reichardt, the AfD state chairman in Saxony-Anhalt and a member of the German Bundestag, addressed the morning session with sharp remarks directed at federal institutions and political opponents. Reichardt, who is slated to direct the state chancery if the AfD forms a government under Siegmund, criticized the federal government, political foundations, and public broadcasting. He also condemned gender-sensitive phrasing and argued that conservative forces would remove left-wing parties from authority. He told delegates that political control would shift following the upcoming vote.

The times of these depraved left-wing conditions in Germany are coming to an end. We will revoke the custody of Germany from the derelict German left!

Governing plans and election scenarios

The 35-year-old lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, addressed the delegates during the afternoon beneath stage decor featuring plastic oak trees and regional flags. Siegmund declared that his first official measure as minister-president would be canceling the interstate media treaty that finances public broadcasting, while acknowledging that the step would involve legal complexities. He outlined two potential outcomes for the September 6 vote, predicting either an AfD result of up to 45% or a broad coalition between the CDU and the Left Party. Siegmund argued that an alliance spanning the CDU to the Left Party would fracture the Christian Democrats and enable future AfD victories in Thuringia, Saxony, Brandenburg, and at the federal level. Federal youth chairman Jean-Pascal Hohm also addressed the hall, demanding the return of millions of immigrants and advising members to avoid campaign brawls with counter-protesters.

Millions came into this country against our will, against law and order, against all reason. Millions must leave this country again.

Organizational background and scrutiny

Generation Deutschland was formed in November 2025 following the dissolution of Junge Alternative, which the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) had classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist entity. The BfV stated that the new group maintains personnel and ideological continuity with its predecessor and remains under official observation. In May 2025, the BfV also upgraded the federal AfD party to a confirmed extremist grouping, though the enforcement remains paused pending court proceedings. At the Magdeburg congress, which started 90 minutes late alongside demonstrations by several dozen protesters outside, delegates debated European policy, revised statutes, and voted on vacant board seats. Some attendees voiced disapproval regarding a two-year ban from party posts that leadership handed to former board member Kevin Dorow in spring 2026 after public prosecutors opened an investigation.