{
  "id": 10441799,
  "title": "Are Germans Becoming Fascist Again?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/are-germans-becoming-fascist-again",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-28T12:31:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Post",
    "slug": "kyiv-post",
    "url": "https://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/85576"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the September 2026 regional elections held in Saxon-Anhalt, a small East German state with a population of 2.12 million, the right-wing radical party \"Alternative for Germany\" (AfD) achieved a historic victory with 43.8% of the vote. This marked the first time such a significant result was attained in a regional election for the Federal Republic of Germany, which has been in existence since 1949. The AfD garnered 39 out of 83 seats in Saxony-Anhalt's regional parliament, coming close to an absolute majority. Coalition negotiations and parliamentary voting rounds in the coming weeks will determine if the AfD can also take control of the executive branch in Saxony-Anhalt. This would represent a more alarming trend in German politics, as a regional state government dominated by the AfD would be unprecedented. Additionally, the AfD's success was not an isolated event within East Germany, as neighboring Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania also saw the party secure a landmark result of 38.2% in their regional elections on September 20, 2026. The AfD is a nationalist, Eurosceptic, and anti-immigration movement, known for its cultural monism and politically illiberal stance. The party has been classified as \"extremist\" by the Federal Service for the Protection of the Constitution in several of its regional organizations. Despite its controversial history and affiliation with far-right factions, the AfD functions as a protest party, channeling social frustration, political disappointment, and cultural pessimism among its constituents. Particularly in East Germany, the party's popularity is higher due to factors such as the region's Soviet occupation history, socio-economic challenges in the 1990s, and a general distrust towards \"Wessis\" (the West Germans). The AfD's rise and growing support can be attributed to the preservation of traditional, hierarchical, and ethnocentric German political culture in East Germany, which has been less exposed to the liberalizing trends of Western societies since the 1970s. While Germany's proportional political system limits the AfD's influence, the party remains a growing force in the country's political landscape.",
  "summary": "The eastern part of today’s Federal Republic of Germany, which had been part of the Soviet bloc in 1945-1990, missed out on the West’s cultural transformation since the 1970s. The ties with Moscow are worrisome.",
  "key_points": [
    "Alternative for Germany (AfD) wins 43.8% in Saxon-Anhalt regional elections.",
    "AfD secures 39 out of 83 seats in Saxony-Anhalt's regional parliament.",
    "Neighboring Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania also sees AfD's landmark 38.2% result."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}