German churches speak out against AfD ahead of state election
As the far-right AfD party leads the polls ahead of Sunday’s election in Saxony-Anhalt, Church leaders warn against downplaying its 'ethnonationalist' agenda.
Catholic and Protestant churches in Saxony-Anhalt have spoken out against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) ahead of the state election on September 6, 2026. The AfD, which holds a commanding lead in the polls, has been labeled a confirmed right-wing extremist organization by Germany's domestic intelligence agency. The AfD has launched a broadside against both Protestant and Catholic churches, calling for the end of state payments and church tax collection, as well as the abolition of church asylum.
This comes despite the fact that fewer than 10% of Saxony-Anhalt's population is Protestant and just 3% is Catholic. The AfD's so-called government program, adopted in April, also calls for the termination of state funding for the Protestant Academy of Saxony-Anhalt, alleging it to be politically aggressive. The AfD's election posters promote slogans like "Save your country," "Take your country back," and "Deport from day one!"
The churches assert their criticism stems from a desire to defend Christian values, not to endorse a specific political party.
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