AfD scores historic win in Saxony-Anhalt state election
Right‑wing Alternative for Germany took 44.5% in exit poll; regional leader Ulrich Sigmund vows to try to form a government.
Alternative for Germany (AfD) scored a decisive victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, taking 44.5% of the vote in an ARD exit poll — the party's best result to date and more than double its 2021 share.
Regional AfD leader Ulrich Sigmund declared the outcome a "historic victory" and said the party will seek to form a government, even as initial projections indicate AfD may fall short of an absolute majority.
Political shockwaves
All major parties have so far ruled out cooperating with AfD, which has never been part of a state or federal government. The scale of the result is being read as a significant political shock in Germany, coming at a time when AfD also leads federal opinion polls.
Whether AfD can translate the exit-poll lead into governing power will depend on the final vote count and on whether other parties adjust their stances. If AfD lacks an outright majority in the state parliament, it faces the choice of governing as a minority or seeking unconventional alliances.
Reactions in Berlin and abroad are expected in the coming days as parties and analysts assess what the result means for national politics and for future electoral contests.
Photo: press material from the event
