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German far-right party AfD has taken a commanding lead in Sunday’s Saxony-Anhalt vote, but it remains unclear whether it will be able to form a government, according to exit polls.
According to ARD projections, the far-right AfD is leading the election in Saxony-Anhalt with 44.5% of the vote, followed by the CDU on 18.5%, Die Linke on 9.5% and the SPD on 8%.
The result could significantly reshape the political landscape in eastern Germany, with the AfD emerging as by far the strongest force in the new state parliament.
The party looks on track to accomplish its election goal: emerging as the biggest force. Lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund said the AfD had “made history” in Saxony-Anhalt.
The CDU, led by Sven Schulze, suffered a major setback, finishing a distant second. The BSW is projected to win 5%, leaving its entry into the state parliament uncertain.
More than 1.7 million voters cast their ballots in an election seen as an important test for Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s federal coalition, already under pressure in Berlin.
Voter turnout reached a record high, with 80% of eligible voters casting their ballots. That was significantly higher than in the previous election in 2021, when turnout stood at 60.3%.
According to Infratest dimap, four issues were decisive for voters: declining confidence in established parties, social security, the economy and migration.
If the AfD succeeds in forming a government, it would become the first far-right party to lead a German state since the Second World War.