Merz warns AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt could scare off foreign investors

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ARD that a win for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the Saxony-Anhalt state election would damage the region and discourage foreign companies from investing there. He expressed doubt that international firms would attend a groundbreaking ceremony with an AfD Minister-President. Polls show the AfD at 42% while Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) trails at 22%, a gap that could leave the AfD just shy of a majority if unchanged.

All established parties have ruled out any coalition with the AfD, meaning incumbent CDU premier Sven Schulze may need to form a minority government or a new coalition. Merz, who refuses cooperation with both the AfD and the far-left, said the CDU will evaluate the results and work to prevent the state from falling under radical control. No specific strategy was disclosed.