Updated on: September 7, 2026 / 12:13 PM EDT / CBS News
Berlin — Sunday’s election results did not grant Germany’s controversial AfD party control of Saxony-Anhalt. However, the far-right party’s achievement transcended a mere electoral victory. It constituted a political upheaval.
Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 43.8% of the vote in the legislative election. Although not sufficient to form the next state government, it marked the party’s most remarkable result in its 13-year history. Compared to the previous state election in 2021, it has more than doubled its vote share.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) experienced a significant decline. The CDU only garnered 17.2% of votes in Saxony-Anhalt, a sharp drop from 37.1% in the last state election. The CDU, once a dominant force in Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, now trails the AfD by over 26 percentage points.
The results illustrate a fundamental shift in Germany’s political landscape, where the AfD has moved beyond being a fringe, anti-European Union protest party.
Prospect of AfD Gaining Power in Saxony-Anhalt
In Germany, winning an election does not automatically empower a party to govern. Achieving another percentage point or two on Sunday might have given the AfD the absolute majority needed to appoint the state’s leadership. Despite missing that threshold, AfD Saxony-Anhalt remains in contention for governance.
Ulrich Siegmund, AfD’s lead candidate, celebrated an exit poll win at Messe trade fair halls after Saxony-Anhalt elections. The AfD will occupy 39 of the 83 seats in the new state parliament. Siegmund needs three more seats to establish a majority and form an entirely AfD administration.
However, German coalition outcomes are complex. Other parties, including the CDU, have rejected coalition partnerships with the AfD. This collective rejection — known in Germany as a “firewall” — seeks to exclude extremist parties from government.
The firewall faces potential breaches. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), with 5.3% of votes (five seats), has ruled out formal coalition with AfD. Nevertheless, the BSW might abstain in the third voting round to select the minister-president.
Only a simple majority, excluding abstentions, is required in this round. While the AfD has 39 seats, parties collectively hold 39 against them.
Potential for Political Shifts
A united front by CDU, SPD, Greens, and Left Party could maintain the firewall. However, abstention by five BSW members would result in a tie, hindering AfD from forming a government. Deviations or defections could be decisive.
Siegmund intends to engage with parliamentary groups and individuals, seeking someone’s defection to challenge the firewall.
This is where AfD’s newfound influence lies. Even without forming a government, its electoral success compels other parties to contemplate unprecedented political arrangements.
Challenges for Germany’s Centrist Base
In the 2025 federal election, the AfD secured over 20% of votes. The performance in Saxony-Anhalt, near 44%, follows a victory in Thuringia state elections recently. This trajectory signals crisis for the CDU.
The CDU has long resisted collaboration with AfD. Yet, post-election pressure to reconsider this stance is intensifying.
Prior to the election, Sepp Müller backed an AfD mandate following a definitive victory. Nonetheless, Union politicians insist on maintaining the firewall.
Thorsten Frei, Union leader, stated: “We do not talk to right-wing extremists.” The CDU faces a dilemma. To thwart AfD influence, it might consider alliances with leftist parties.
Turmoil in Berlin
Chancellor Merz promised to challenge AfD politically. However, the AfD’s success and CDU’s plummet intensify pressure on Merz.
Calls for Merz’s resignation emerge from CDU factions. The youth union in Saxony-Anhalt demands relinquishment of state leadership.
AfD’s Aspiring Federal Leadership
Alice Weidel, co-chair of AfD and candidate for chancellorship in 2029, is well positioned with the party’s momentum.
Weidel’s background contrasts her party’s image. She holds a Ph.D. in economics, worked with Goldman Sachs, and lives openly as a lesbian with her partner.
These attributes seem contradictory to AfD’s platform, but have proven beneficial for Weidel politically.
Focusing on immigration policies, AfD aims to limit it, appealing to voters dissatisfied with earlier refugee influx decisions.
AfD’s agenda includes deportation strategies and limiting LGBTQ representation in education.
Weidel embraces contradictions for political gains. Celebrating Saxony-Anhalt’s “dream result,” she now targets Berlin’s leadership.
The next federal election poses a question: Can Germany sustain the firewall as AfD’s influence grows?
Germany faces a dilemma. If political maneuverings, constitutionally legal, increasingly exclude a potent entity, could this become fundamentally undemocratic?
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