Germany’s far-right AfD party is poised to win a state election in Saxony-Anhalt, potentially making it the first far-right government in the country since World War II. The party’s candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, has gained traction with a polished campaign and a focus on immigration and cultural identity, while concerns grow over its historical revisionism and impact on Jewish communities.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on track to win the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, a historic shift that could mark the first far-right government in the country since World War II. With polls showing the party at over 40%, the victory would allow AfD politician Ulrich Siegmund to become the state premier, breaking a decades-long taboo against far-right governance in Germany. The election, scheduled for September 6, 2026, has drawn sharp scrutiny over the party’s policies on immigration, cultural identity, and historical memory.
A Polished Campaign and Polarizing Vision
Yet the party’s platform remains deeply controversial. The AfD has long advocated for stricter immigration controls, including the deportation of migrants and the replacement of culturally foreign
health workers, which it claims endanger patient well-being. It is unacceptable that our doctors are leaving for Switzerland, Norway, or elsewhere because they cannot tolerate the conditions here, while we bring in doctors from India or other places to replace them,
Siegmund stated in a recent TikTok post. The party’s manifesto also calls for a patriotic cultural policy
that downplays Germany’s Nazi past, emphasizing pre-20th century history with a focus on More Bismarck, less Hitler.
Historical Revisionism and Jewish Concerns
The AfD’s push to reframe Germany’s national identity has raised alarms among Jewish communities and historians. Lars Rensmann, a political science professor at the University of Passau, noted that while the party avoids overt antisemitism, it covertly uses antisemitic tropes
to frame globalist, cosmopolitan elites
and shadowy financial powers
as threats to national cohesion. On the official level, [the AfD] only occasionally mobilizes open antisemitism,
Rensmann said, but it does, on various levels, use antisemitic ideas as part of a larger worldview.
A Nation Divided: Support, Skepticism, and Uncertain Future
Yet not all AfD supporters align with the party’s far-right extremes. Hannes Kreschel, a 23-year-old law student and former AfD voter, said he abandoned the party after realizing its policies favored the financially well-off.
I figured out that this is not the country I would like to live in,
Kreschel said. I would like to live in an open country which is friendly and not full of hate.
His experiences highlight the internal tensions within the AfD, where some voters are drawn by its anti-immigration rhetoric but wary of its broader ideological leanings.
The outcome of the Saxony-Anhalt election will test Germany’s political resilience. If the AfD wins, it could embolden similar movements across the country, challenging the dominance of mainstream parties. However, the party’s ability to govern effectively remains uncertain.
