The Alternative for Germany party (AfD), once considered untouchable in German politics, achieved a decisive win in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, according to exit polls. This puts a far-right party in reaching distance of power at the state level for the first time since the fall of the Nazis.

While they didn't achieve an overall majority, the AfD won 44% of the vote, putting them significantly ahead of any other party.

The AfD is already Germany's most popular party at the national level according to polling data. A recent ISNA report suggested that they currently had 28% support nationwide. 

Ulrich Siegmund, the 35-year-old lead candidate for AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, has framed this result as the first step towards securing national power and advancing his party's agenda of heavy restrictions on immigration, closer ties with Russia, ending Germany's support for Ukraine and dropping the euro. The next federal elections in Germany are expected in 2029.

"We have made history in this country", said Siegmund after the exit poll results were announced. He continued, "the people have made it absolutely clear that they finally want political change and, above all, they have shown that they want it with ⁠us."

Siegmund stood arm-in-arm with his party's two national leaders as the results came in. As they realised the extent of their victory they couldn't hide their elation. In the streets of Saxony-Anhalt's most populous city, Magdeburg, people waved German flags and hugged each other in triumph. 

While far-right parties have been gaining support across Europe, Germany's Nazi past has made mainstream parties particularly reluctant to cooperate with the AfD. 

American billionaire Elon Musk has been a vocal supporter for the party and appeared via video stream at an AfD rally in 2025. US Vice President JD Vance also broke taboos when he met with one of AfD's leaders Alice Weidel and travelled to Munich to demand that leaders dropped political "firewalls" isolating the AfD and similar parties.