AfD adopts Trump-style anti-mail voting rhetoric ahead of historic German state election

Ahead of a state election that may allow the far-right to govern for the first time since World War II, AfD figures Tino Chrupalla and Leif-Erik Holm have claimed, without proof, that postal ballots—particularly those from nursing-home residents—are being tampered with. Election officials and caregiver groups have dismissed the allegations. The party’s messaging draws heavily on Donald Trump’s long-standing narrative that mail voting is prone to fraud, even though German politicians deliberately avoid invoking Trump by name due to his low popularity.

Political scientists say the “rigged election” myth helps forge a shared identity among European radical right parties. If the AfD secures a majority or coalition in Saxony-Anhalt, it could serve as a springboard for national influence, where it already polls around 29 percent. Experts note parallels with other European right-wing movements but stress that Germany’s historical context makes this development especially consequential.