Saxony-Anhalt vote puts AfD support and education policy in focus
Voting is under way in an eastern German state where recent surveys place the AfD ahead of Merz’s CDU, though the result remains undecided.
Voting began on Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt, in an election being closely watched as a test of support for the AfD in eastern Germany.
Recent surveys cited by France 24 place the AfD at just over 40 per cent, ahead of Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on 23 per cent. The figures are polling estimates, not election results, and the final outcome has not been reported.
The AfD says that, if it wins, it would seek to “reset” Saxony-Anhalt’s education system. The party has not provided further details of what that proposed reset would involve.
The vote also carries potential consequences for the formation of the state government. Germany’s proportional electoral system generally makes single-party majorities difficult, while mainstream parties have historically refused to co-operate with the AfD.
If the AfD falls short of a majority, coalition negotiations could therefore become significant. The result will determine whether the party’s lead in recent surveys translates into governing power or increased leverage in talks with other parties.
