AfD poised for historic win in Saxony-Anhalt as east-west divide deepens

In the upcoming state election in Saxony-Anhalt, the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany is projected to secure a decisive win, raising the prospect of a far-right government at the state level for the first time in post-war Germany. Elisabeth Kaiser, the government’s commissioner for eastern Germany, explained that the party’s appeal stems from the economic upheaval that followed the 1990 reunification, when many state-run enterprises shut down, causing high unemployment and a wave of young women leaving the region.

She said these experiences have become part of a collective memory of loss and devaluation that persists across generations. Combined with strong anti-immigrant feelings, these factors have turned much of the former GDR into an AfD stronghold. The analysis underscores how historic and cultural legacies continue to shape contemporary voting patterns in the east.