AfD Leads Polls in German State Election

Far-Right AfD Gains Ground in Eastern German State The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is projected to become the strongest political force in the eastern German state of Saxony Anhalt, according to an infratest dimap poll released on Thursday. This development precedes a state election scheduled for September, raising the possibility of the AfD leading a regional government for the first time in Germany.

The survey indicates that support for the AfD has increased by 2 points, reaching 41% in Saxony Anhalt. This places the party significantly ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which polled at 26%. The Social Democrats, junior partners in the federal coalition, registered 7% support.

While the AfD has historically shown stronger support in former Communist eastern states, widespread disillusionment with the current federal coalition, just one year into its term, contributes to the party's rising national standing, where it is roughly level with the CDU in national polls. Other parties have stated their refusal to cooperate with the AfD, which advocates for stricter migration policies and closer ties with Russia. The poll also suggests potential difficulties in coalition formation asourceser the September 6 vote, with the Lesources party at 12% and the Greens and populist BSW below the parliamentary entry threshold of 4%, complicating efforts to exclude the AfD from government.