German AfD Embraces Radical Manifesto in Saxony-Anhalt

Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) has formally approved a new government program for the state of Saxony-Anhalt ahead of regional elections in September, according to the party’s plans released after a conference in Magdeburg. The 150-page document was adopted at a party gathering in the state capital and has been described as “radical” and explicitly pro-ethnic German in its orientation.

The move comes as the AfD is polling strongly in Saxony-Anhalt, where it could potentially win an outright majority. Officials and observers have noted that such an outcome would be significant because it would represent the first time a far-right party has held state power in Germany since World War II.

In its core policy agenda, the manifesto sets out a tougher approach to immigration and a stronger emphasis on support for ethnically German families. Among the proposals are calls for “consistent deportations” and “remigration” of people with “non-German” backgrounds. The program also states that Ukrainians should no longer be recognized as war refugees, marking a clear shift in how the party says the state should treat those who fled the war.

On foreign and energy policy, the Saxony-Anhalt program argues for improved relations with Russia. It includes demands to lift energy sanctions and to expand Russian language education in schools. These positions run directly counter to federal government policy, highlighting a gap between the state-level platform and Berlin’s approach.

On domestic and social policy, the AfD platform frames demographic change as a central concern, saying it wants to counter what it calls “the extinction of the German people.” To do so, it proposes tax breaks and free childcare for large families and promotes a conservative family model. The manifesto also seeks to ban gay pride flags in schools and to withdraw funding for public broadcasting.

The party’s Saxony-Anhalt branch has also faced scrutiny from state authorities. In 2023, the state’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution classified the branch as a “far-right extremist organization,” a designation that the national party has challenged.