Arif Jabo Agencies | Adel Al Shoroaat | Abdo Jamil Al-Mekhlafi Agencies | Imad Ghanem
Published on September 3, 2026. Published on September 3, 2026
The preliminary results of the elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt revealed that the Alternative for Germany party topped the parliamentary elections in the state, followed by a large margin from the Christian Democratic Party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
https://p.dw.com/p/5KjXp
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Skip to the next part: Everything you need to know
Everything you need to know
The leader of the French left describes the Alternative Party's victory as a "disaster"
Alternative Party candidate: We will go to early elections if necessary
Demonstrations in Frankfurt and Berlin demanding "banning the Alternative Party"
Trump enters the Saxony-Anhalt election line and publishes the results of the Alternative Party's victory
German Jews express shock over the "Alternative"'s victory in the Saxony-Anhalt elections
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Skip to the next part The leader of the French left describes the Alternative Party’s victory as a “disaster”
9/66/2026 September 2026
The leader of the French left describes the Alternative Party's victory as a "disaster"
The leader of the radical left France Intrepid Party, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, described the AfD's victory in the Saxony-Anhalt elections as a "disaster." “The extreme right has returned to Germany,” Mélenchon wrote on the “X” platform.
He added that under these circumstances, Germany's plan to build the strongest conventional army in Europe is unacceptable to France. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in his first government statement in May 2025 his intention to provide all the necessary financial resources to the German army, with the aim of transforming it into the strongest conventional military force on the continent. This trend has raised concerns in neighboring France.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Lv0s
Skip to the next part Zigmund: We will go to early elections if necessary
9/66/2026 September 2026
Zigmund: We will go to early elections if necessary
If it is not possible to form a government in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany party's candidate for prime minister, Ulrich Zigmond, believes that holding new elections remains an option. “If necessary, there will be new elections, and then we will simply get 50 or 55 percent of the votes, because the future belongs to the AfD,” Zigmund told German TV Channel 2.
Zigmund said again on the "Identity Journal" program that he is determined to implement the political change he announced, according to what he promised. He added that he would extend his hand to any representatives, or even to any parliamentary bloc, that wishes to participate in this.
“If there is someone we can do this with, we will,” Zigmund said. “We have a clear mandate to form the government.” But at the same time, he stressed: “We will not bow down and we will not abandon our principles.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5Lu1N
Skip to the next part Italian Foreign Minister on the Alternative's victory in Saxony-Anhalt: Very bad news
9/66/2026 September 2026
Italian Foreign Minister on the Alternative's victory in Saxony-Anhalt: Very bad news
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Taiani and Italian Deputy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the result achieved by the Alternative for Germany party in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament elections as "very bad news."
At the same time, Tayani, head of the ruling conservative Forza Italia party, expressed his hope that the success of the Alternative Party in this state located in eastern Germany would remain a “local exception,” in a statement.
Taiani described the "Alternative" party as a political force that "radically contradicts the liberal and Western values espoused by the Forza Italia party." Italian media quoted the Italian diplomat as saying that the voters' decision must be respected, with the need to work to prevent "the spread of populist and fanatical tendencies in Europe."
The "Forza Italia" party, founded by Silvio Berlusconi (1936-2023), is traditionally seen as a party that follows a traditionally pro-European Union line, and the party is a member of the European People's Party, to which the Christian Democratic Party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz also belongs.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Ltfz
Skip to the next part Demonstrations in Frankfurt and Berlin demanding "banning the Alternative Party"
9/66/2026 September 2026
Demonstrations in Frankfurt and Berlin demanding "banning the Alternative Party"
Following the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament elections, the city of Frankfurt and the capital, Berlin, this evening, Sunday (September 6, 2026), witnessed protests against the “AfD” party, demanding the right-wing populist party be banned.
About 2,500 people demonstrated in the city of Frankfurt, according to police, demanding studying the possibility of starting measures to ban the Alternative Party, which topped the parliamentary elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt today, according to preliminary estimates from a poll conducted by the German Broadcasting Corporation (ARD) upon exit from the polls.
“The approach of weakening extreme right-wing forces has failed.”
Philipp Jax, head of the Frankfurt branch of the German trade union federation "DGB", justified the demonstrators' demand to study the possibility of starting measures to ban the AfD: "The approach of weakening far-right forces through political action alone has failed. In several German states, including Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD is already officially classified as a confirmed case of an extreme right-wing party."
Demonstration in Berlin under the slogan "Defend Democracy"
Hundreds of people also took to the streets in the German capital, Berlin, making similar demands. A protest procession marched through the government district in Berlin under the slogan “Defend Democracy - Ban the AfD Now,” heading to the state representation headquarters of Saxony-Anhalt. The police reported that the number of participants ranged in the hundreds.
A demonstration also took place at the Brandenburg Gate. A larger rally against the Alternative Party is scheduled to be held tomorrow evening, Monday, at the Brandenburg Gate. Police expect 5,000 people to participate.
https://p.dw.com/p/5LtQK
Skip to the next part. Trump enters the Saxony-Anhalt election line... and publishes the results of the Alternative Party’s victory
9/66/2026 September 2026
Trump enters the Saxony-Anhalt election line... and publishes the results of the Alternative Party’s victory
US President Donald Trump addressed the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament elections through his widely circulated account on the “Truth Social” platform. A picture of estimated results was posted on the account until 19:57 German time. Trump merely displayed the bar graph, which showed the victory of the AfD, without adding any comment to it.
During the recent period, the Alternative for Germany party has repeatedly sought rapprochement and establishing contacts with the American Republican Party, to which Trump belongs.
Trump's post about Saxony-Anhalt was one of a large number of posts he published on his account within a short period, and it dealt with various topics, including criticizing Democrats and strengthening his electoral base. Trump repeatedly publishes a large number of posts over short periods of time.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Lszi
Skip to the next part German Jews express shock over the "Alternative"'s victory in the Saxony-Anhalt elections
9/66/2026 September 2026
German Jews express shock over the "Alternative"'s victory in the Saxony-Anhalt elections
The Central Council of Jews in Germany expressed its shock at the success of the Alternative for Germany party in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament elections. In statements to the German newspaper Die Welt, the head of the Central Council, Josef Schuster, commented on the preliminary results of these elections: “The results of the elections have not yet been decided, but it is already certain that there is a party officially classified as a confirmed case of an extreme right-wing party, and there is only a small difference between it and forming a single government in one of the German states.”
Schuster added: "I was personally astonished by the outcome of this election." He said that it had been clear over the past months what goals the Alternative Party was seeking to achieve, and he believed that “whoever voted for it today, whether despite these goals or because of them, bears responsibility for this result.”
Schuster also said that he fears the influence of the AfD on education policy, and went on to say that "the damage that the so-called Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will now cause if it takes a position of responsibility will be enormous." Schuster explained that education represents the most important basis for maintaining an open society and combating "anti-Semitism."
https://p.dw.com/p/5LpvU
Skip to the next part Schweizig warns of danger after the Alternative wins the elections
9/66/2026 September 2026
Schweizig warns of danger after the alternative wins the elections
The head of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government, Manuela Schweizig (from the Social Democratic Party), expressed her concern after the victory of the Alternative for Germany party in the elections in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, considering that the far-right achieving a clear victory in the state parliament elections for the first time in the history of Germany after World War II is dangerous for the state and Germany as a whole.
She called on voters in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to vote for the Social Democratic Party to prevent the AfD from becoming the strongest force, stressing that her party represents reliability and stability, ahead of the state elections scheduled for September 20.
https://p.dw.com/p/5LpJ9
Skip to the next part Sarah Wagenknecht's party supports the appointment of a prime minister independent of the parties
9/66/2026 September 2026
Sarah Wagenknecht's party supports the appointment of a prime minister independent of the parties
Sarah Wagenknecht's party, if it participates in the government of Saxony-Anhalt, continues to demand the appointment of a prime minister independent of the parties. The coalition's most prominent candidate, Claudia Witsch, told German television Channel 1: "I do not want to vote for Mr. Zigmund," referring to the Alternative for Germany candidate, Ulrich Zigmund, adding that she also does not want to vote for the Christian Democratic Party's candidate, Sven Schulze.
Wittig pointed out that society is currently witnessing a sharp division, considering that the role of the Wagenknecht party is to mediate between the two camps. She said: "It is not appropriate to side with either party, and if we want to implement an issue-based policy through a shifting majority, the best option is a prime minister independent of the parties."
https://p.dw.com/p/5Loc1
Skip to the next part Chairman of the AfD: "Sigmund will become prime minister of the state of Saxony-Anhalt"
9/66/2026 September 2026
Chairman of the Alternative Party: “Sigmund will become prime minister of the state of Saxony-Anhalt”
AfD leader Tino Kruppala said, following the party's strong performance in the Saxony-Anhalt elections, that the party's candidate for prime minister, Ulrich Zigmund, has a clear mandate to take office. “Sigmund was clearly elected, he has a mandate from voters, and he will become head of the state government,” Kruppala said Sunday evening on German television Channel 2.
He added that if the party did not obtain an absolute majority, it would also be prepared to hold talks with other parties. He stressed: “We will extend our hand to everyone who wants the interests of Saxony-Anhalt and Germany,” indicating the possibility of the party assuming a minority government that enjoys parliamentary support or tolerance. Kruppala described the result as "astonishing" for his party and a "clear indication" of the federal government's policy performance.
https://p.dw.com/p/5LoTI
Skip to the next part "The Saxony-Anhalt results are a turning point for all of Germany"
9/66/2026 September 2026
“The Saxony-Anhalt results are a turning point for all of Germany.”
The head of the Christian Union parliamentary bloc in the German parliament, Torsten Frei, described the results of the Saxony-Anhalt elections as a "turning point" for all of Germany, after a party classified as far-right by the state's Constitution Protection Authority became the largest force for the first time. He called on his party to analyze the reasons for the decline in its popularity, while acknowledging that many voters feel that they are not represented in many areas, but he defended the path of government reform as a “necessity” to ensure the country’s sustainability, refusing to open a discussion about the future of Chancellor and party head Friedrich Merz.
For his part, co-chair of the Social Democratic Party, Lars Klingbeil, considered the federal government's policies to be one of the reasons for the election result, stressing that the numbers represent a "message to Berlin" and that the dissatisfaction of many citizens with the reform path requires a reconsideration of the government's policies.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Lo7Q
Skip to the next part: A Christian representative calls on Schulze to resign from the presidency of the Christian Democrats in the state
9/66/2026 September 2026
A Christian representative calls on Schulze to resign from the presidency of the Christian Democratic Party in the state
After her party's clear defeat in the Saxony-Anhalt elections, the Christian Democratic Party's deputy in the state parliament, Eva Voessner, called on the state party's head, Sven Schulze, to resign. The former Minister of Education in the state told the German magazine "Stern": "If this country means something to him, then Sven Schulze must bear responsibility and resign from the leadership of the party. It cannot be otherwise."
At the same time, Voessner warned against interpreting the election results as a mandate to form a government. “If any form of cooperation with the Left Party occurs, entire local party branches will withdraw en masse,” she said.
Schulze, the current head of the state government, led the Christian Democratic Party as its most prominent candidate in the state parliament elections.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Lo0n
Skip to the next part The left-wing candidate expresses her disappointment with the strong result of the Alternative Party
9/66/2026 September 2026
The left-wing candidate expresses her disappointment with the strong result of the Alternative Party
The Left Party's candidate for the presidency of the state government of Saxony-Anhalt, Eva von Ungern, expressed her disappointment with the strong performance of the Alternative for Germany party in the state elections. She said on Sunday evening (September 6, 2026) on German TV Channel 2 that she was “extremely disappointed, especially about that blue ribbon,” referring to the “Alternative” result. She added that the result confirms the fears of many who feared such an electoral scenario.
At the same time, von Ungern considered the result a clear rejection of the policies followed so far, saying: “The state government was excluded today by the voters.” She added that the federal government also played a role in the elections, as political issues at the federal level mainly dominated the election campaign.
https://p.dw.com/p/5LntQ
Skip to the next part The Social Democratic Party calls for cooperation with the Left Party
9/66/2026 September 2026
The Social Democratic Party calls for cooperation with the Left Party
Following the elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the Social Democratic Party also called on the CDU to cooperate with the Left Party, an option that had been unlikely until now. The party's Secretary-General, Tim Klusendorf, said that the election results, although the final result is still open, carry a clear message.
He added that the democratic parties ran the elections jointly in order to achieve a majority in the state parliament. He continued: "If there is such a majority, it must also be formed jointly with all the forces represented in this parliament."
https://p.dw.com/p/5LnhM
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