Turkish community in Germany fears rise of AfD after Saxony-Anhalt win

The nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) captured 43.8% of the vote in the recent Saxony-Anhalt state election, triggering widespread concern among Germany’s Turkish population. Gökay Sofuoglu, co-chair of the Turkish Community in Germany, reported that some Turkish business owners initially contemplated closing their shops and relocating, though many are now waiting for government formation. He described the AfD’s success as a threat to German democracy and feared a rise in nationalist violence reminiscent of the National Socialist Underground killings.

Legal scholar Alaz Sümer argued that blaming the AfD alone is insufficient and called for deeper analysis of the socioeconomic factors that fueled its surge. A Turkish student known as Irmak, who asked to remain anonymous, said the outcome was predictable given unmet policy needs, and that even a new coalition would not solve demographic challenges in the aging state. Critics caution that banning the AfD could backfire, creating more hidden extremist groups and worsening conditions for migrants. Statistics show Saxony-Anhalt’s population includes about 6,120 people of Turkish origin, part of roughly three million nationwide.