AfD leads Saxony-Anhalt election with projected 44.3% as CDU vote share drops by half

Projected election results in Saxony-Anhalt

State election projections in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September 2026 placed the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in first place with 44.3% of the vote. Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera cited figures reaching 44.5% after polling stations closed at 18:00 across the state, which ranks as Germany's oldest and economically poorest region. High voter turnout marked the ballot, yet the projected tally leaves lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund three seats short of an absolute majority in the state parliament. The governing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) experienced a sharp contraction, seeing its vote share cut in half compared to the 2021 state election. International outlets covered the outcome prominently, with The New York Times operating a live blog and Polish daily Rzeczpospolita maintaining a live ticker.

Campaign strategy and economic grievances

The AfD ran an election campaign focused heavily on digital outreach, with Siegmund utilizing TikTok to communicate policy positions and evoke memories of the former East Germany. Voter choices were shaped by frustration over a weakening national economy and elevated energy prices. In its campaign platform, the AfD demanded an immediate halt to immigration, an end to state climate protection measures, and the resumption of diplomatic and economic relations with Russia. Belgian financial newspaper De Tijd noted that the projected result represents the party's highest vote share since its foundation in 2013. German tabloid Bild characterized the outcome with the headline "Jubel und Schmerz", referencing the heavy losses suffered by the CDU under federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Parliamentary hurdles and governance options

Securing a working majority in the state parliament presents complex coalition challenges because rival parties have resisted formal cooperation with the AfD. According to Dutch daily de Volkskrant, if the AfD cannot form a government, the CDU would be forced to seek a minority administration alongside the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens. Such an arrangement would require informal votes from Die Linke or the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) on crucial legislation, creating a contentious internal dilemma for the CDU. Holding state executive power grants direct authority over regional policing, schools, and cultural administration.

The British public broadcaster noted the institutional consequences of state-level leadership in its election reporting.

Since the Second World War, no far-right party in Germany has taken control of a federal state. Participation in government at the state level would bring responsibility for the police, as well as for the education and cultural sectors.

Fallout for federal and state leadership

The outcome places acute political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin. Campaign advisers had urged the chancellor to avoid public appearances in Saxony-Anhalt due to fears that his personal unpopularity would increase AfD turnout. The collapse in the CDU vote also threatens the political position of incumbent Minister-President Sven Schulze, who led the state CDU ticket. International commentaries, including Czech daily Lidove noviny, linked the outcome to wider structural strains in the German economy. British newspaper The Times reported on the personal consequences of the vote for the chancellor.

If the projections are confirmed, the result would be a personal humiliation for Friedrich Merz, who had been advised to avoid campaigning almost entirely out of fear that his personal unpopularity could give momentum to the AfD.