An upcoming election could produce modern Germany’s 1st far-right state governor

An election in eastern Germany on Sunday could potentially usher in the first far-right state governor in Germany's post-World War II history, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his unpopular national government struggle to overcome widespread negativity. Several polls indicate the anti-migration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, holds a significant lead ahead of the election to the state legislature in Saxony-Anhalt.

If AfD secures control of a state government, it would be a remarkable achievement in the party's 13-year history, a political shock to Germany and a symbolic setback for Merz.

Friedrich Merz, the center-right Christian Democratic Union leader, has governed Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, a region west of Berlin that's among the least prosperous in the country and home to 2.1 million of Germany's 83.5 million citizens. However, the party faces considerable challenges. In the national election last year, AfD achieved its best postwar showing with 20.8% of the vote, becoming Germany's biggest opposition party.

The party's popularity has grown in the ex-communist east, including Saxony-Anhalt, as voters express discontent with issues beyond AfD's signature theme of curbing migration.

AfD's campaign slogan is "Everything is possible." The party's gubernatorial candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, told The Associated Press that this is a historic opportunity in Saxony-Anhalt, where supporters lined up to meet the charismatic 35-year-old at a campaign event in the town of Moeser. Siegmund's top priorities include the deportation of illegal residents, a deportation offensive, and eliminating incentives for people to come to the region and exploit its social system.

He also wants to withdraw Saxony-Anhalt from the regional public broadcaster and initiate a process to withdraw the state from the broadcaster altogether, citing concerns about "disinformation."