AfD leads Saxony-Anhalt vote as path to power remains unclear
Exit polls put the far-right party first in the eastern German state, but final results and coalition options will determine whether it can enter government.
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surged into first place in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election, according to exit polls reported by France 24.
The result puts the AfD within reach of state-level power for the first time since the Second World War. It does not, however, establish that the party has won outright or can form a government.
The final result, seat distribution and coalition prospects will determine whether the AfD can enter government. An administration led by the party would mark a significant shift in Germany’s regional politics.
France 24 correspondent Nick Holdsworth said it was “hard to say” whether the result reflected dissatisfaction with Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s governing conservatives or explicit support for the AfD.
That question remains unresolved while the available figures are based on exit polls. Final results and subsequent coalition discussions will clarify the party’s prospects in Saxony-Anhalt.
