AfD co-chair Tino Chrupalla on September 7, 2026 at the federal press conference.
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, emphasized his desire to govern after his party's election success. "It is a very clear government mandate. Of course, only on the condition that we remain true to ourselves," said Siegmund at the federal press conference on Monday. He wants to shake hands with everyone, which corresponds to the democratic values “that we carry within us as the AfD”. In return, he expects that there will be individual factions or individual MPs “who want to tackle this task with us”. Discussions about this had already been initiated that night.
The co-chair of the AfD Tino Chrupalla emphasized that his party in Saxony-Anhalt would also like to talk to the Christian Democrats. “We are ready to talk to the CDU as well,” said Chrupalla in a press conference. However, they don't want a situation like in Thuringia, where a prime minister is dependent on the support of several parties.
AfD leader Alice Weidel thanked Siegmund on Monday for his efforts and emphasized that it was a “historic election victory” for the AfD thanks to a “professional super election campaign.” She emphasized the high voter turnout and voter migration in the state. “All of this is good for democracy in Germany and Saxony-Anhalt,” she said. The CDU experienced a debacle that was also reflected at the federal level.
Weidel also emphasized her party's ambitions for the next federal election. “My stated goal is to significantly expand the gap in the shortest possible time and grow it to at least 40 percent for the next federal election,” says Weidel. The CDU/CSU will never be able to win a federal election again. “That is a fact,” said Weidel. People wanted a change in politics.
The AfD won the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt well ahead of the ruling CDU, but missed an absolute majority. As the state election authorities announced on Monday night in Halle an der Saale, they received 43.8 percent. The CDU achieved 17.2 percent, its worst result in a state election in Saxony-Anhalt. The SPD became the third strongest force with 9.3 percent, the Greens and the Left got 8.9 and 8.6 percent respectively. With 5.3 percent, the BSW managed to overcome the five percent hurdle. With 2.6 percent, the FDP missed entry into the state parliament.
For an absolute majority, 42 members are needed in the state parliament. The parties that exclude cooperation with the AfD (CDU, SPD, Greens, Left) have a total of 39 mandates in the new state parliament, just like the AfD. There are also five BSW representatives.
In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD could be the first time since the end of the Second World War that a party classified as right-wing extremist could come to power in a federal state - but it would need supporters to do so. The BSW was open to this, party founder Sahra Wagenknecht said that there would now hopefully be majorities in the state parliament “for a change of course in energy policy, an end to the Russia sanctions, better education and a fundamental reform of public broadcasting”.
The churches say they are “greatly concerned” about the results of the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. "This state election has profoundly changed the political situation in Saxony-Anhalt. The country is divided. Our concern is for social peace and the coexistence of the people in our state," said the bishops of the Protestant and Catholic Churches in Saxony-Anhalt.
The chairman of the Verdi union, Frank Werneke, has warned the democratic parties against collaborating with the AfD. “No democrat is allowed to help the fascists gain government power,” said Werneke. The AfD election victory is “a bitter and alarming result for all democratic forces in Germany”.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) called on the Union to respond to the AfD's victory with a consistent reform course. “It’s now crucially up to the Union,” he said. The result is a “political earthquake”.
The Federal Government's Eastern Commissioner, Elisabeth Kaiser (SPD), sees the AfD's success as a mandate for the Federal Government to take action. “We now have a damn duty in the federal government to show that we are solving the problems that concern people,” she said.
