Voting for the critical election has begun in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Approximately 1.7 million voters were called to the polls and voting started at 08:00 local time. The polls will close at 18.00 and the first predictions are expected to be announced immediately afterwards.
According to the state election board, the first interim results are expected to start being published around 19:00, and the results will be updated at regular intervals thereafter.
The most important reason why the election is being watched closely throughout Germany is that the AfD is by far the first in the polls.
In the last poll before the ballot box, AfD ranked first with 42 percent, while Prime Minister Friedrich Merz's party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), remained at 22 percent.
AfD's candidate for prime minister, Ulrich Siegmund, aims for his party to take over the state government. To date, the AfD has never led a state government in Germany.
Although the difference of approximately 20 points gives the AfD a significant advantage, recent polls indicate that the party may not reach the majority required to form a government on its own.
EYES ON THE 5 PERCENT DAMAGE
The vote share that small parties will receive as a result of the election is critical for the calculations of forming a government.
In order to enter the state parliament in Germany, a 5 percent electoral threshold must be exceeded. Whether or not the parties within the threshold limit can enter the parliament may directly affect the distribution of MPs and possible coalition options.
In the last survey, the Left Party was at 11 percent, the SPD at 8 percent, the Greens at 6 percent, while BSW was below the threshold with 4 percent and FDP with 3 percent.
Even if AfD wins the ballot box, it remains unclear whether it will be able to form a government.
Most of the major political parties in Germany refuse to form a coalition with the AfD. If the AfD cannot obtain an absolute majority, the process of forming a government is expected to be quite difficult.
AfD's candidate for prime minister, Ulrich Siegmund, had also announced before the election that his party would run for state prime minister only if it won a majority on its own.
CDU HAS RULED THE STATE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS
The CDU, on the other hand, is trying to maintain its power in Saxony-Anhalt, where it has been in power for more than 20 years.
State Prime Minister Sven Schulze clearly declared that they would not enter into any coalition with the AfD.
If the AfD comes first but cannot obtain an absolute majority, the establishment of an alternative government under the leadership of the CDU may be on the agenda. However, due to political disagreements between the parties, the minority government option is also among the possible scenarios.
The Saxony-Anhalt elections are considered an important test not only for state politics, but also for Prime Minister Friedrich Merz and the federal government.
The AfD's reflection of its great rise in the polls at the ballot box may further intensify the debates regarding the strategy of the traditional parties in Germany against the far right.
If the AfD gains an absolute majority and forms the government alone, the party will be the head of a state government for the first time in Germany.
DISTRIBUTION OF SEATS IN THE CURRENT PARLIAMENT
As a result of the previous election, the CDU won 40 seats, the AfD 23, the Left Party 12, the SPD 9, the FDP 7 and the Greens 6 seats in the Saxony-Anhalt State Parliament.
Latest public opinion polls indicate that the political picture in the parliament may change significantly as a result of today's election.
