{"id":2655403,"date":"2026-09-06T14:43:01","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T18:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/german-afd-set-for-strong-win-in-regional-election-but-uncertain-of-governing\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T14:46:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T18:46:08","slug":"german-afd-set-for-strong-win-in-regional-election-but-uncertain-of-governing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/german-afd-set-for-strong-win-in-regional-election-but-uncertain-of-governing\/","title":{"rendered":"German AfD set for strong win in regional election but uncertain of governing"},"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\">26<\/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%2Fgerman-afd-set-for-strong-win-in-regional-election-but-uncertain-of-governing%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=2655403&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>The regional election in Saxony-Anhalt,Germany,resulted in a projected victory for the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD),with estimates around 44% of the vote,significantly surpassing their previous performance. the party&#8217;s candidate for governor, Ulrich Siegmund, celebrated the outcome as historic, signaling public dissatisfaction with current governance and sending a message to Berlin. The AfD possibly aims to form Germany\u2019s first right-wing state government since WWII, challenging longstanding political norms. Even though it remains uncertain whether they can secure an absolute majority to govern alone, the results mark a major milestone for the party, which is classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence. The conventional center-right party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), experienced a decline, losing support and trailing far behind the AfD. The election reflects widespread discontent with the national government\u2019s handling of issues like the economy and migration, with AfD advocating for <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >strict policies including deportations<\/a>, restrictions on social messaging in schools, opposition to ukraine aid, and potential approval for homeschooling and Russia sanctions. The results pose a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/french-prime-minister-gambles-government-collapse-with-confidence-vote-and-budget-proposal\/\" title=\"French prime minister gambles ... collapse with confidence ... and budget proposal\">meaningful political challenge<\/a> to established parties and signal a shift in regional political dynamics.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) \u2014<\/strong> The right-wing Alternative for <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/germany\/\">Germany<\/a> was projected to win a strong victory in a regional election Sunday, but it wasn\u2019t immediately clear whether it would be able to fulfill its ambition of forming the country\u2019s first right-wing state government since World War II.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The party\u2019s 35-year-old charismatic candidate for governor of the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt hailed what he called a historic showing and said that Germany\u2019s unpopular leader,\u00a0Chancellor <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/friedrich-merz\/\">Friedrich Merz<\/a>, had helped his campaign.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4715528\/german-afd-party-win-regional-election\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>German right-wing party set for strong win in regional election but uncertain of governing<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4715133\/mike-huckabee-condemn-israel-settler-terrorist\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mike Huckabee again condemns violent Israeli settlers as \u2018terrorists\u2019 in West Bank visit<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4715018\/putin-pause-ukraine-strike-witkoff-kushner-moscow\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Putin orders pause in Ukraine strikes as Witkoff and Kushner arrive in Moscow<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ulrich Siegmund told ARD public broadcaster that \u201cwe have written history.\u201d Voters, he said, had sent a signal that \u201cthings cannot carry on like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was \u201calso a signal toward Berlin,\u201d Siegmund said. Of Germany\u2019s leader, he added: \u201cA very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz. Every day this man is in the chancellery is one too many.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alternative for Germany, or AfD, went into the vote seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern on its own. That would overcome\u00a0the so-called firewall\u00a0of mainstream parties\u2019 refusal to work with AfD, but it was unclear after polls closed whether it would happen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A first state government would be the biggest prize in the anti-migration party\u2019s 13-year history, at a time of widespread discontent with an unpopular national government that has yet to persuade voters that it can get the country\u2019s\u00a0sluggish economy\u00a0moving.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whether or not AfD can form a government, the projected result is a blow to Merz, whose center-right party has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years. Unlike other countries in Europe, modern Germany hasn\u2019t yet had a far-right or right-wing populist party leading a national, state or major-city government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AfD\u2019s regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt is one of several classified by the domestic intelligence agency as a proven right-wing extremist group. AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Projections for ARD and ZDF public television, based on exit polls and early counting, put AfD at around 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was far ahead of the Christian Democratic Union, the center-right party of Merz that has led the state for 24 years, which was seen polling 18.5% and losing about half its support. The Left Party and the center-left Social Democrats and Greens were seen taking around 9% each.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was unclear whether the BSW party would get the 5% of the vote needed to win seats. The projections put AfD at least marginally short of an absolute majority, though that could change.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AfD\u2019s national co-leader, Alice Weidel, described the projected result as \u201csensational\u201d and said that \u201cwe have received a very clear mandate to govern here.\u201d The party\u2019s \u201chand is outstretched to all who want to make Saxony-Anhalt better and move Germany forward,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A visibly disappointed incumbent governor, Sven Schulze, congratulated AfD on becoming the state\u2019s strongest political force and said that \u201cwe as the CDU will also have to deal with this result,\u201d without specifying how.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Franziska Hoppermann, the national general secretary of Merz\u2019s party, said that it was \u201ca very difficult result for us.\u201d She and others rejected the idea of backing off their refusal to deal with AfD.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Germany\u2019s 16 states have extensive powers, for example in overseeing security matters and running the education system.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4715308\/us-iran-strike-navy-ship-strait-of-hormuz\/\">US DISPUTES IRAN STRIKE ON NAVY SHIP TRYING TO ENTER STRAIT OF HORMUZ<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Siegmund has listed among his top priorities \u201cthe deportation of people who are illegal, a deportation offensive and above all dropping the incentives for why people come here and exploit our social system.\u201d He wants to initiate a long process to withdraw Saxony-Anhalt from the regional public broadcaster, citing concerns about \u201cdisinformation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AfD in Saxony-Anhalt wants to allow home schooling, which so far isn\u2019t permitted in Germany. It pledges to ban schools from officially raising the rainbow flag and ensure they fly the national flag. It opposes taxpayers\u2019 money being \u201cgiven away\u201d to Ukraine and says it would push to lift sanctions against Russia, but that isn\u2019t a matter state governments can decide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>AfD wins big in Saxony-Anhalt; future government uncertain<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2655404,"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\/2026\/09\/AP26249342617188-e1788718470580.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[32321,85220,85223,85222,85221],"class_list":["post-2655403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-election-results","tag-german-afd","tag-government-formation","tag-political-dominance","tag-regional-election"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/AP26249342617188-e1788718470580.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2655403","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\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2655403"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2655403\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2655407,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2655403\/revisions\/2655407"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2655404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2655403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2655403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2655403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}