An election in eastern Germany on Sunday could produce the first far-right state governor in the country’s post-World War II history MOESER, Germany -- An election in eastern Germany on Sunday could produce the first far-right state governor in the country's post-World War II history as Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his unpopular national government struggle to dispel what he calls “widespread moroseness.” Several polls show a large lead for the anti-migration Alternative for Germany, or AfD, ahead of the election to the state legislature in Saxony-Anhalt. Taking control of a state government would be the biggest prize in the party’s 13-year history, a political shock to Germany and at least a symbolic blow to Merz. Modern Germany so far has been “an exception” in Europe in having no radical right-wing party governing at the national, state or big-city level, he added.
Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union has led Saxony-Anhalt, a region west of Berlin that's among the country’s less prosperous and is home to 2.1 million of Germany's 83.5 million people, since 2002. But it faces strong headwinds. In last year’s national election, AfD achieved the best postwar showing by a far-right party, with 20.8% of the vote.
It became Germany’s biggest opposition party. It was stronger in the ex-communist east, including Saxony-Anhalt. And with Merz's government struggling to convince voters it can turn around a stubbornly slow economy, it has gained in national polls as it harnesses discontent with issues beyond its signature theme of curbing migration.
In Saxony-Anhalt, AfD is seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature. That would overcome the so-called “firewall” of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with AfD, whose regional branch is one of several classified by the domestic intelligence agency as a proven right-wing extremist group. AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.
AfD’s campaign slogan is “Everything is possible.” “This is a historic opportunity that we have here in Saxony-Anhalt,” its candidate for governor, Ulrich Siegmund, told The at a campaign event in the small town of Moeser, where supporters lined up to meet the charismatic 35-year-old over beer and sausages. A state administration would be a far bigger prize, fueling the party's ambitions of further gains and one day governing at the national level. Germany’s 16 states have extensive powers, for example in overseeing security matters and running the education system.
In Saxony-Anhalt, AfD wants to allow home schooling, which so far isn't permitted in Germany. It pledges to ban schools from officially raising the rainbow flag and ensure they fly the national flag. It opposes taxpayers' money being “given away” to Ukraine and says it would push to lift sanctions against Russia, but that isn't a matter state governments can decide.
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