Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on course for a major victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls, putting the party well ahead of its mainstream political rivals.
The AfD is projected to secure between 44% and 44.5% of the vote, while the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is expected to receive about 18.5%.
The result has prompted the AfD to claim that voters have given it a mandate to govern the state, although it remains uncertain whether the party will win enough seats to form a government on its own.
The party has described the projected result as a “historic outcome”.
AfD leader in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, has also refused to rule out governing without another party, maintaining the party’s position that it should be able to take power based on its electoral performance.
A victory would mark a significant development in Germany, as no far-right party has governed one of the country’s states since the end of World War Two.
Control of a state government would give the AfD influence over areas such as policing, education and cultural affairs.
Saxony-Anhalt, an eastern German state with a population of about 2.1 million, has become an important test of the AfD’s growing support.
The party’s branch in the state has been classified as “far-right extremist” by Germany’s domestic intelligence service. Siegmund has rejected that classification.
The projected AfD vote is considerably higher than figures recorded in earlier opinion polls. However, the final outcome will depend on how many smaller parties secure enough support to enter the state parliament.
German state elections require parties to cross a 5% threshold to win seats under the standard system. If one or more smaller parties fail to reach that mark, the distribution of seats could change significantly.
That could improve the AfD’s chances of securing an outright majority, potentially allowing it to form a government without the support of another party.
The final seat count will therefore determine whether the AfD’s strong performance translates into control of Saxony-Anhalt or leaves it facing the challenge of finding a governing arrangement.
