The political situation in Germany

New small left-wing party could secure power for the AFD

The left-wing populist Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), founded in 2024, could save the far-right AFD's dream of governing Saxony-Anhalt.

According to the first polling station survey, the party will receive five percent. This means they are just on the five percent threshold required to enter the state parliament. The AFD looks set to receive 44.5 percent, which means that the two parties have a chance of gathering a majority when the votes are counted.

57 percent of BSW voters want to see a collaboration with the AFD, reports the public service channel ARD according to TT. The party's local top name Claudia Wittig does not want to give a definitive answer.

- We want to do what is good for the country, then we will see whether it is with or without the AFD, she says.

AFD on the verge of landslide victory in local elections in Germany

The German far-right party AFD is on the verge of a landslide victory in the local elections in Saxony-Anhalt. They will receive 44.5 percent according to a first exit poll. This is an increase of 23.7 percentage points compared to the last election in 2021.

The ruling Christian Democrats in the CDU will come in second with 18.5 percent, a halving of the result in the last election.

However, the AFD looks set to miss out on its first majority in a state election, which was its greatest hope.

The other parties that will get over the five percent threshold will collect a total of 50 percent, according to the exit poll. The CDU's hope now lies in successfully forming a coalition government to exclude the AFD from power.

Local AFD leader: "We have made history"

AFD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, 35-year-old Ulrich Siegmund, is elated after the results of the exit poll.

- We have made history, that cannot be said clearly enough, he tells the public service channel ARD according to DW.

He adds that the election result is a clear signal to the federal government, led by Christian Democratic Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Siegmund says he is open to negotiating a coalition with the other parties in the federal state, but on the party's own terms.

- We will not compromise our fundamental beliefs in order to gain power, he says.

Most of the parties in Saxony-Anhalt have ruled out governing with the AFD in advance.

Results of the exit poll

Voter support in percent. Difference from the previous election in 2021 in brackets.

AFD (far right): 44.5 (+23.7)

CDU (Christian Democrats): 18.5 (-18.6)

Linke (left): 9.5 (-1.5)

Grüne (Green Party): 9.0 (+3.1)

SPD (Social Democrats): 8.0 (-0.4)

BSW (left populists): 5.0 (+5.0)

FDP (liberals): 2.0 (-4.4) (under the barrier)

Other: 3.5 (-6.9)