Germany's AfD Expected to Lead in Saxony-Anhalt Election
German voters went to the polls on Sunday in Saxony-Anhalt. Saxony-Anhalt is a state in eastern Germany.
About 1.7 million people were eligible to vote. Polling stations opened at 8am local time.
They were set to close at 6pm. The far-right Alternative for Germany party, known as AfD, was expected to win.
German authorities have labeled the AfD extremist. Projections showed the AfD winning about 41% of the vote.
That would give the party an easy majority. But this projection is not a final result.
Winning the most votes would not automatically give AfD control of the government. This is because mainstream parties have refused to work with AfD.
The election could create Germany's first far-right state government since World War Two. That would be AfD's biggest political win yet.
AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund said he wants to govern only with a full majority. If AfD falls short coalition deals could decide who leads next.
Christian Democratic Union leader Sven Schulze has ruled out working with AfD. Siegmund has over 700000 TikTok followers. Young voters have reportedly helped boost AfD support in Saxony-Anhalt.
Key Terms 4
- AfD Alternative for Germany, a far-right political party labeled extremist by authorities.
- Saxony-Anhalt A state in eastern Germany, once part of communist East Germany.
- Christian Democratic Union A major mainstream German political party, often called CDU.
- TikTok A popular video-sharing app used to reach young voters.