Saxony-Anhalt: Far-right AfD eyes power in German state vote

Follow all the developments here. Skip next section Polls open in Saxony-Anhalt state election09/06/2026September 6, 2026Polls open in Saxony-Anhalt state election Polling stations have opened in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, where voters are choosing a new state parliament. Around 1.7 million people aged 18 and over are eligible to vote. Polling stations opened at 8 a. m. local time (0600 GMT/UTC) and will close at 6 p. m., when counting begins. Voters are electing the members of the new state parliament in Magdeburg. They can cast two votes: one for a direct constituency candidate and one for a political party. The new parliament will subsequently elect the state premier. The state returning officer expects a preliminary final result in the early hours of Monday morning. https://p. dw. com/p/5LgyK Skip next section ANALYSIS: Why is this election so closely watched?09/06/2026September 6, 2026ANALYSIS: Why is this election so closely watched? Matthew Moore Political correspondent I have not experienced a more polarizing election since Brexit or Trump vs. That is because the stakes are so high. For a number of reasons, the decision voters in Saxony-Anhalt reach today is being watched closely in Berlin and beyond: Watershed moment: Should the AfD secure an absolute majority, it would be the first time a right-wing populist party has won power in a state in Germany in the postwar era. Firewall: Should the AfD not secure an absolute majority, the focus will turn to the conservative CDU. Pressure will mount on the party to rethink its longstanding policy of not governing with or passing laws with the far-right AfD or far-left Left Party. Such a debate risks splitting the CDU. Chancellor: A dire result for the conservatives may lead to calls for the deeply unpopular Chancellor Friedrich Merz to be replaced. In CDU circles in Berlin, the talk is of an election that could 'change the republic.' https://p. dw. com/p/5KVnN Skip next section Saxony-Anhalt heads to the polls as coalition math takes center stage09/06/2026September 6, 2026Saxony-Anhalt heads to the polls as coalition math takes center stage Saxony-Anhalt, one of Germany's 16 federal states, boasts a rich cultural and historical heritage.   Home to around 2.1 million people, it is one of Germany's most sparsely populated states. Only two cities, the state capital Magdeburg, and the city of Halle, have more than 200,000 inhabitants.   Today, voters will elect a new state parliament. The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has led the state government since 2002 as the leading party in governing coalitions.