What would an AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt mean for Germany?

As the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party garners increasing support in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany's eastern federal state, concerns have emerged about the potential ramifications of a far-right victory. The AfD, which is polling at over 40%, seeks an absolute majority, a feat that would enable the party to rule independently and install Ulrich Siegmund as the state premier.

The party's platform includes a host of nationalist initiatives, such as intensifying deportations, relocating refugees into group shelters, and defunding public broadcasters. Additionally, the AfD plans to downplay the nation's historical involvement in the Holocaust, with leaders employing coded antisemitic language and Nazi slogans.

Political science professor Lars Rensmann of the University of Passau in Bavaria has analyzed the antisemitism within the AfD, noting that the party employs coded antisemitic stereotypes instead of overtly hostile rhetoric. He explained that AfD leaders frame migrants and "globalist, cosmopolitan elites" as part of an external force that could threaten Germany's national identity.

Should the AfD secure a far-right government in Saxony-Anhalt, its nationalist vision for history could have immediate implications for the region's education system. Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, an AfD politician, has proposed a curriculum that prioritizes pre-20th century German history, emphasizing a "More Bismarck, less Hitler" approach. This stance may lead to a reduction in funding for Holocaust memorials in Saxony-Anhalt, which could potentially jeopardize the operation of these institutions.