{"id":2335218,"date":"2024-09-01T13:32:02","date_gmt":"2024-09-01T17:32:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-german-far-right-party-leads-exit-polls-in-one-state-election-and-is-roughly-level-in-another-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-01T13:35:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-01T17:35:38","slug":"a-german-far-right-party-leads-exit-polls-in-one-state-election-and-is-roughly-level-in-another-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-german-far-right-party-leads-exit-polls-in-one-state-election-and-is-roughly-level-in-another-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"A German far-right party leads exit polls in one state election and is roughly level in another &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">40<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fa-german-far-right-party-leads-exit-polls-in-one-state-election-and-is-roughly-level-in-another-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2335218&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rep-mccarthy-slams-democrats-over-push-to-pass-build-back-better-bill-without-report-from-congressional-budget-office\/\" title=\"Rep. McCarthy slams Democrats over push to pass Build Back Better bill without report from Congressional Budget Office\">recent state elections<\/a> in Germany, the \u2064far-right \u2064Alternative for \u2063Germany (AfD)\u200b party emerged as a\u200b potential frontrunner, according to exit polls. In the\u2063 eastern states of Thuringia and\u200c Saxony, the AfD garnered support between 30.5% and 33.5%,\u2064 surpassing the main opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which received around\u2062 24.5% to 32%. This marks the first time the AfD is on track to become the strongest party in \u200da state election. The results indicate dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz&#8217;s \u200bgovernment, which\u2064 is perceived as unpopular\u200d and plagued by infighting.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally,\u2063 a new leftist party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW),\u200c seems to be\u2064 affecting the election outcome with predictions of \u2062up \u200cto\u200c 16% of the vote in Thuringia and 12% in Saxony. The rise of these populist \u200dparties\u200b reflects growing anti-government sentiment, particularly in\u2063 the former communist east of Germany, where\u2063 the AfD has found its strongest support base.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the \u2062strong\u2062 showing, it is unlikely that the AfD will be able to\u2063 form \u2063a government due to reluctance from other parties \u2064to partner with them. The political landscape remains complicated, with deep-seated public frustration contributing to the electoral success of \u200cthese parties.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">A German far-right party leads exit polls in one state election and is roughly level in another<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1743183\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>BERLIN (AP) &mdash;<\/strong> The&nbsp;far-right Alternative for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Germany\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Germany<\/a>, or AfD, was on track to become the strongest party in a state election for the first time Sunday in the country&rsquo;s east, and was roughly level with mainstream conservatives in a second vote, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/cnn-american-racism-will-never-disappear-it-will-become-white-supremacy-with-a-tan\/\" title=\"CNN: American Racism Will Never Disappear; It Will Become \u2018White Supremacy With A Tan\u2019\">exit polls showed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>A new party founded by a prominent leftist was also making an immediate impact, while the parties in Chancellor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Olaf-Scholz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Olaf Scholz<\/a>&rsquo;s unpopular national <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/government\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>government<\/a> were set for weak results.<\/p>\n<p>The exit polls for ARD and ZDF public television put support for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, at 30.5-33.5% in Thuringia and 31.5% in Saxony. They put the center-right Christian Democratic Union, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chinafication-of-europe-eu-president-hints-at-bloc-wide-vaccine-mandate\/\" title=\"\u2018Chinafication of Europe\u2019: EU President Hints at Bloc-Wide Vaccine Mandate\">main opposition party<\/a> at national level, at 24.5% in Thuringia and 31.5-32% in Saxony.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s extremely unlikely that any other party will agree to put AfD in power by joining it in a coalition. Even so, its strength is likely to make forming new state governments extremely difficult. The strength of the new Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, or BSW, which was seen taking up to 16% of the vote in Thuringia and 12% in Saxony, adds another level of complication.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/History\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>historic<\/a> success for us,&rdquo; Alice Weidel, a national co-leader of AfD, told ARD. She described the result as a &ldquo;requiem&rdquo; for Scholz&rsquo;s coalition.<\/p>\n<p>The CDU&rsquo;s national general secretary, Carsten Linnemann, said his party will stick to its longstanding refusal to work with AfD. Weidel denounced that as &ldquo;pure ignorance&rdquo; and said that &ldquo;voters want AfD to participate in a a government.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Deep discontent with a national government notorious for infighting, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/analysis-the-complicated-legacy-of-george-w-bushs-leadership-after-9-11\/\" title=\"ANALYSIS: The Complicated Legacy Of George W. Bush\u2019s Leadership After 9\/11\">anti-immigration sentiment<\/a> and skepticism toward German military aid for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Ukraine<\/a> are among the factors that have contributed to support for populist parties in the region.<\/p>\n<p>AfD is at its strongest in the formerly communist east, and the domestic&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/germany-far-right-afd-intelligence-extremism-court-50728dd01da83efd26cb22fa4eefbfc5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>intelligence agency<\/a>&nbsp;has the party&rsquo;s branches in both Saxony and Thuringia under official surveillance as &ldquo;proven right-wing extremist&rdquo; groups. Its leader in Thuringia, Bj&ouml;rn H&ouml;cke,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/germany-far-right-politician-conviction-nazi-slogan-ccda2b9beef36efd124c2ae610681bf8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>has been convicted<\/a>&nbsp;of knowingly using a Nazi slogan at political events, but is appealing.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title> <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Scholz&rsquo;s center-left Social Democrats at least appeared set to remain in the two state legislatures, despite some election fears that they wouldn&rsquo;t. But the environmentalist Greens appeared set to lose their seats in Thuringia. The two parties were the junior coalition partners in both outgoing state governments.<\/p>\n<p>A third state election follows Sept. 22 in another eastern state, Brandenburg, currently led by Scholz&rsquo;s center-left Social Democrats. Germany&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/germany-parliamentary-election-september-2025-fa9833641e1173f97f92f18d8be2229e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>next national election<\/a>&nbsp;is due in a little over a year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1743183\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1743183\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A German far-right party is leading in exit polls for one state election and is nearly tied in another. BERLIN (AP) \u2014 The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) appears poised to become the dominant party in a state election for the first time on Sunday in eastern Germany, while also being close to mainstream conservatives in a second election, according to exit polls. A newly established party led by a notable leftist figure is also making an immediate impact, whereas the parties within Chancellor Olaf Scholz&#8217;s unpopular national government are expected to perform poorly. Exit polls from ARD and ZDF public television indicate that support for AfD ranges from 30.5% to 33.5% in Thuringia and around 31.5% in Saxony, while the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which serves as the main opposition at the national level, stands at approximately 24.5% in Thuringia and between 31.5% and 32% in Saxony. It is highly unlikely that any other party will agree to form a coalition with AfD; however, its significant support could complicate efforts to establish new state governments. Additionally, the emerging Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is projected to capture up to 16% of votes in Thuringia and about 12% in Saxony, further complicating matters. &#8220;This marks a historic achievement for us,&#8221; stated Alice Weidel, co-leader of AfD nationally, calling it a &#8220;requiem&#8221; for Scholz&#8217;s coalition government. CDU\u2019s national general secretary Carsten Linnemann reiterated his party&#8217;s long-standing refusal to collaborate with AfD; Weidel criticized this stance as &#8220;pure ignorance,&#8221; asserting that voters desire AfD&#8217;s involvement in governance.<\/p>\n<p>The growing discontent with a national government known for internal conflicts\u2014alongside anti-immigration sentiments and skepticism regarding German military aid for Ukraine\u2014has fueled support for populist parties within this region where AfD has gained traction since its inception during Germany\u2019s post-reunification era when many residents felt neglected by mainstream politics.<\/p>\n<p>AfD has its strongest backing among voters from former East Germany; both Saxony and Thuringia have their branches under official surveillance by domestic intelligence agencies due to their classification as \u201cproven right-wing extremist\u201d groups.<\/p>\n<p>Bj\u00f6rn H\u00f6cke leads AfD\u2019s faction within Thuringia but faces legal challenges after being convicted of using Nazi slogans at political events\u2014a conviction he is currently appealing.<\/p>\n<p>Despite concerns about their electoral prospects, Scholz\u2019s center-left Social Democrats seem likely to retain representation within both state legislatures; however, environmentalist Greens are anticipated not to secure seats again specifically within Thuringia where they served as junior coalition partners alongside these two parties previously governing there together until now.<\/p>\n<p>Another state election will take place on September 22nd across Brandenburg\u2014a region currently governed by Scholz\u2019s Social Democrats\u2014with Germany&#8217;s next nationwide elections scheduled just over one year away<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2634,"featured_media":2335219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bjoern-hoecke.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[39862,39861,39863],"class_list":["post-2335218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-exit-polls","tag-german-far-right","tag-state-election"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/bjoern-hoecke.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2335218","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2634"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2335218"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2335218\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2335219"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2335218"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2335218"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2335218"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}