AfD's Siegmund Targets Saxony-Anhalt Win as Party Hits 29% and Merz Sinks to 16%
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 20
AfD's Siegmund Targets Saxony-Anhalt Win as Party Hits 29% and Merz Sinks to 16%
6 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 20
Ulrich Siegmund, 35, is already campaigning in Halberstadt ahead of Saxony-Anhalt's September vote, betting he can become Germany's first AfD state premier.
AfD's push is being helped by national momentum: an INSA poll puts the party at 29%, up to 7 points ahead of Merz's conservatives, while Merz's own approval has fallen as low as 16%.
In Saxony-Anhalt, AfD support has reached 41% in some polls, close to a solo majority, even though the state branch has been classified by local domestic intelligence as far-right extremist.
Siegmund says the party should govern alone because mainstream parties still refuse any coalition under a firewall strategy, a stance that could make the election a test of whether isolation can still contain AfD gains.
A victory would resonate beyond one eastern state: German Länder control police, education and internal security, giving an AfD-led government real power and a platform for broader national ambitions.
After a court curbed the 'extremist' label, how can Germany's democracy legally counter the AfD's plan to purge civil servants?
As Germany's political 'firewall' crumbles, are mainstream parties facing an inevitable coalition with the far-right?
AfD Surges to 40% in Saxony-Anhalt: Implications for German Democracy and Governance
Overview
In May 2026, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity in Saxony-Anhalt, reflecting widespread discontent across eastern Germany. This rise is fueled by long-standing regional issues like economic stagnation, demographic changes, and migration, as well as growing dissatisfaction with the federal government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The AfD’s strength is putting severe pressure on incumbent parties and creating a fragmented political landscape, making it very difficult to form a new government. With established parties like the SPD polling dangerously low, Saxony-Anhalt faces significant political instability and uncertainty about its future direction.