AfD is rising, but it can still be stopped

Published On 7 Sep 20267 Sep 2026.

What happened

Notably, the victory of far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the elections of the East German state Saxony-Anhalt is a dramatic moment for Germany. The party won 44 percent of the vote, securing 39 seats in the 83-seat local legislature.

Although this result falls short of a majority, it is close enough. The small, populist BSW party has indicated that it may enable the election of an AfD head of administration in the state. This would offer executive power to an extreme-right party in a German state for the first time since World War 2.

The bottom line

For now, afD is rising, but it can still be stopped remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.