Germany's far-right AfD eyes historic state victory in Saxony-Anhalt election

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is aiming to make history by becoming the first far-right party to take power at a state level since World War II. The party is leading in the polls in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, with support typically in the 40% range, ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which has led the state government since 2002.

According to France 24, if AfD secures an absolute majority, it would be a significant victory, but a failure to do so may see the party struggle to form a government as every other major party has ruled out allying with it.

The election in Saxony-Anhalt, one of Germany's 16 federal states, is being closely watched in Berlin and beyond. The state has a population of around 2.1 million people and is one of Germany's most sparsely populated states. DW News reports that the AfD's dominance in the polls has made the election a polarizing event, with some comparing it to Brexit or the 2016 US presidential election.

The AfD's Saxony-Anhalt branch has been categorized as "right-wing extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agency, according to Le Monde English. The party has run on a campaign of anti-immigrant and pro-Moscow rhetoric. If the AfD does not secure an outright majority, a broader coalition made up of other parties is a potential outcome.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, DW News, DW English (Top Stories), Le Monde English — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.