German Far-Right Set for Big Win in Eastern State, Exit Polls Say
BBC News reports that Germany's Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) is projected to win a significant victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls. The party is expected to secure 44.5% of the vote, surpassing the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
The AfD has claimed this result as a "historic outcome" and their state leader, Ulrich Siegmund, has rejected any coalition partnerships, asserting their right to govern. No far-right party has held power in a German state since World War II, with governing at the state level granting them control over areas like policing, education, and culture.
Saxony-Anhalt, with its population of 2.1 million, is considered a microcosm of Germany's complex political landscape. Domestic intelligence assesses the AfD there as "far-right extremist", a characterization contested by Siegmund.
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