AI-generated summary
The AfD achieved its greatest electoral success to date in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6th and could become the strongest force in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on September 20th. In both federal states, the party presents similar economic policy promises in its election programs.
If you believe the AfD, then the economy will improve again if it governs. The “economic decline and the associated deindustrialization” will be stopped, she promises in her government program for Saxony-Anhalt, where the party achieved its biggest election success to date on September 6th.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where it could also become the strongest force in the election on September 20th, the AfD presents itself in a similar way. In her election program she announced that she wanted to “unleash economic power” and thus ensure an upswing.

The AfD's success is interpreted as a wake-up call, but it remains unclear what exactly is behind the voter discontent. Both the party and right-wing populist intellectuals fail to offer a coherent ideology, while voters express dissatisfaction with the system and immigration, but also show deeper fears of loss of status and economic insecurity. Established parties react with familiar recipes that do not solve the problem. Without a theory of discontent to guide action, right-wing populism will continue to grow.

In the Swedish parliamentary elections, the Social Democrats remain the strongest force, while the left-green bloc is just ahead of the right-wing camp. The Sweden Democrats suffer a surprisingly poor result, while both Magdalena Andersson and Ulf Kristersson try to form a government, although the exact majority status is still unclear.
In the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD received 43.8 percent of the votes, although the Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies it as definitely right-wing extremist. The party expects good chances in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The ifo economist Joachim Ragnitz warns of economic damage caused by AfD demands such as the departure of immigrants and explains the success with dissatisfaction with the political and economic situation and protest against established parties.
In the local elections in Lower Saxony at the district level, the CDU was once again the strongest force with 27.2 percent, followed by the SPD (24.6), AfD (15.9), the Greens (14.1), the Left (6.0) and the FDP (3.7). Voter turnout rose to 64.6 percent and almost 30,000 seats were awarded. The AfD achieved its best result to date, while the CDU and SPD lost support.
In the Swedish parliamentary election, the left-wing opposition is leading with 175 seats, just ahead of the center-right coalition with 174 seats. The Sweden Democrats are losing votes for the first time, while a clear majority is still unclear and government negotiations are likely to be complicated.
In the local elections in Lower Saxony, the CDU lost four percentage points compared to 2021 and came to 27.7 percent, while the SPD fell to 24.5 percent. The AfD more than tripled its result to 16.5 percent. At the BRICS summit in Delhi, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, as well as new members such as Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, met to discuss the Iran-Israel conflict, reform of international organizations and their role as a counterweight to the G7.