AfD surge in Saxony-Anhalt pushes Lower Saxony local elections into the spotlight
Local mayoral and council elections in Lower Saxony are being closely watched after the far-right Alternative for Germany won decisively in neighboring Saxony-Anhalt.
Mayoral, district-administrator and council elections in Lower Saxony are attracting heightened attention after the Alternative for Germany secured a sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Although the AfD only achieved 4.6% in the 2021 Lower Saxony local polls, its recent surge raises questions ahead of September 20 state elections in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The elections occur against a backdrop of looming Volkswagen job reductions, a major issue for a state that hosts the carmaker’s headquarters and several factories.
Nationwide protests, drawing between 12,000 and 32,000 participants in cities such as Düsseldorf, Berlin and Munich, have condemned the rise of right-wing rhetoric. Additional headlines include warnings from former Chancellor Angela Merkel about blurred truths, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni questioning Germany’s “firewall” strategy, and reports linking a failed Leipzig airport drone attack to Russia’s GRU.
Why it matters
The AfD’s gains could reshape Germany’s political landscape and influence upcoming state elections.
How this story developed
- Aug 23 Merz warns AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt could scare off foreign investors
- Sep 7 The AfD was reported to be three seats short of an outright majority, prompting coalition negotiations.
- Sep 7 Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the AfD’s strong showing in Saxony-Anhalt marks a turning point for Germany, warning of broader repercussions.
- Sep 7 AfD received 43.8% of the vote and the CDU dropped to about 17%.
- Sep 7 AfD announced it will begin talks with potential partners after falling short of a majority.
- Sep 8 Günter Krings, a member of the German Bundestag, described the recent Saxony-Anhalt vote as far worse than expected, with the AfD securing 43.8% of the ballots. He argued the CDU should not entertain discussions about replacing Chancellor Friedrich Merz so soon after the far-right's victory. Krings urged the party to focus on rebuilding its credibility and blamed EU decisions for part of voter anger. The CDU’s share fell to 17.2%, roughly half of its previous support.
- Sep 8 CDU leaders proposed a working group to study a possible ban of the AfD.
- Sep 9 Former US president Donald Trump praised the Alternative for Germany (AfD) after its impressive result in Saxony-Anhalt, blaming the country's immigration policies.
- Sep 9 Trump posted a congratulatory message to the AfD on Truth Social after the Saxony‑Anhalt results.
- Sep 9 Merz and AfD leader Alice Weidel clashed in a Bundestag budget debate following the Saxony‑Anhalt result.
- Sep 10 Claudia Obert resigned from the CDU and Tino Schomann publicly demanded Merz’s resignation.
- Sep 11 Only the BSW agreed to talks as all other parties declined, and Chancellor Merz rebuked Donald Trump’s congratulatory post.
- Sep 12 Markus Söder publicly rejected calls to replace Chancellor Merz.
- Sep 13 Sven Schulze replaced Guido Heuer as CDU minister after a close internal vote.
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