Far-right AfD seeks to win governing power in eastern German state election

Germany's far-right AfD party competed in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 7, 2026, hoping to win control of the regional parliament. A win would be the first time a far-right party has governed a German state since World War II. The AfD's lead candidate was Ulrich Siegmund. The party's proposals included putting refugee children into separate school classes. Voting also took place in two other eastern German states on the same day, and the AfD led in polls in two of the three states. Mainstream parties have long refused to share power with the AfD. Party leaders believed that winning in Saxony-Anhalt would help them break through that barrier and build support for national power.