{
  "id": 4666589,
  "title": "In Saxony-Anhalt, Sven Schulze takes on far-right AfD",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/in-saxony-anhalt-sven-schulze-takes-on-far-right-afd-4666589",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T12:28:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/in-saxony-anhalt-sven-schulze-takes-on-far-right-afd/a-78509861?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The German state of Saxony-Anhalt is set to hold a crucial election on September 6, 2023, with far-reaching implications for the country's political landscape. State Premier Sven Schulze, a 47-year-old industrial engineer, is running against the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party that has gained significant support in recent polls. Schulze, who only took over leadership of the state in January 2023, is determined to remain in office and avoid a situation where the AfD could form a government alone.\n\nAt the heart of the election is the issue of freedom of speech. Schulze, who has appeared alongside comedian Dieter Hallervorden, a known supporter of the CDU, has faced criticism from his party for this move. However, he maintains that his actions are a demonstration of his commitment to freedom of speech, unlike the AfD, which seeks to abolish it. The AfD has been drawing parallels between the Bauhaus movement, a prominent modernist art and architecture group from Germany, and Nazism, a charge Schulze has firmly denied.\n\nSchulze's campaign has focused on local issues, emphasizing the importance of foreign employees and exports to the state's economy. He has also warned against blindly following federal government recommendations on healthcare and care for the elderly, arguing that such decisions should be subject to local debate. Schulze's stance on these matters has directly contrasted with those of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has urged for a more hands-off approach to state-level decisions. With the election just weeks away, it remains to be seen how the public will respond to Schulze's ideas and whether the AfD will be able to secure a majority in the state parliament.",
  "summary": "The AfD is way ahead in the polls in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. But the young incumbent state premier insists he can stop the far right from leading a government for the first time since World War II.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "In Saxony-Anhalt, Sven Schulze takes on far-right AfD",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/in-saxony-anhalt-sven-schulze-takes-on-far-right-afd",
        "published": "2026-08-31T12:28:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}