German Far-Right AfD Wins Saxony-Anhalt Election, Falls Short of Majority

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won 43.8% of the vote in the legislative election in Saxony-Anhalt, marking its best result in its 13-year history.

This outcome more than doubled the party's share of votes compared to the last state election in 2021. The AfD now holds 39 of the 83 seats in the new state parliament, falling three seats short of the 42-seat absolute majority needed to form an all-AfD administration. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) garnered only 17.2% of the votes, plummeting from 37.1% in the last state election.

The CDU has led every Saxony-Anhalt state government since 2002. AfD's leading candidate Ulrich Siegmund thanked Elon Musk for his support and for your clear and highly important perspective on the political developments of their time. Siegmund stated that "The people have shown very clearly that they finally want political change." Chancellor Merz described the result as the hardest defeat that the CDU has had for decades, emphasizing the need for reform but asserting Germany's institutions are resilient.

Merz also warned that "2,500 kilometers east of here, people are especially delighted with this election result," referring to Russia, and affirmed continued support for Ukraine. The far-left BSW (Bündnis Sarah Wagenknecht), which received 5% of the vote, has expressed interest in becoming a kingmaker. The AfD is classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency as an extremist group in some regions.