AfD achieves historic win in Saxony-Anhalt election, humiliating German government, says Russian envoy
Quick Look
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured a historic result in the Saxony-Anhalt state election with 44-44.5% of the vote, according to exit polls, humiliating the ruling coalition and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as stated by Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, who compared Merz to former UK PM Keir Starmer.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a right-wing populist party that has gained traction in recent German state elections, challenging the dominance of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the governing coalition.
MOSCOW, September 7. /TASS/. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a historic result in the elections, thereby humiliating the current government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, special presidential envoy and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev stated.
"The AfD's historic win humiliates the arrogance, narrow-mindedness, warmongering, ineptitude and hypocrisy of the discredited German ruling coalition," the envoy wrote in a post on his X page.
According to exit polls commissioned by the ARD and ZDF TV networks, the Alternative for Germany party is decisively winning the Saxony-Anhalt state election, with 44-44.5% of the vote. This is the party’s best result in a German state in its entire history. Meanwhile, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany is in second place, having lost half of its votes compared to 2021. The party garnered only about 18.5%, its worst result in Saxony-Anhalt.
"The Germans have spoken, and Germany has awoken. Humiliated Merz just became a [Keir] Starmer," Dmitriev noted, referring to the former UK prime minister who was ousted earlier this year due to his party’s loss of popularity.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The AfD will seek to consolidate power in Saxony-Anhalt and use its victory to push for stricter immigration policies and greater state autonomy.
Likely · Within weeks
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will face internal pressure to reassess its strategy in eastern Germany following its worst-ever result in Saxony-Anhalt.
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- How will the AfD's victory in Saxony-Anhalt affect coalition negotiations at the federal level?
- What specific policy shifts might the AfD pursue in Saxony-Anhalt given its historic mandate?
- Will other German states see similar AfD surges in upcoming elections?
