Germany is facing a major political test after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the strongest party in the latest state election in Saxony-Anhalt, achieving a result that could reshape the political debate far beyond the eastern German state.
The AfD won 43.8% of the vote and secured 39 of the 83 seats in the state parliament. Although the result represents a historic breakthrough, the party fell three seats short of the 42 required for an outright majority. That means its strong electoral performance does not automatically give it the power to form a government on its own.
AfD leaders, however, argue that the scale of their victory gives them a clear political mandate. The party has called on conservative lawmakers to consider cooperation, while insisting that voters have sent a message that Germany's established political system can no longer ignore.
National AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla appealed directly to members of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), arguing that political compromise could make a conservative-led government possible in Saxony-Anhalt. The appeal places renewed pressure on Germany's longstanding refusal by mainstream parties to cooperate formally with the AfD.
That policy, commonly described as the political “firewall,” has prevented the AfD from entering government coalitions at the state and federal levels. The CDU has so far rejected cooperation with the AfD, making the formation of a stable government particularly difficult after the election.
The result was also a serious setback for Merz and the CDU. The party received only 17.2% of the vote, its weakest performance in the state, while the AfD more than doubled its share compared with the 2021 election. The outcome reflects growing frustration among some voters over immigration, economic pressures, the cost of living and dissatisfaction with Germany's political establishment.
For the AfD, the victory represents much more than control of a regional parliament. The party has never previously led a German state government, and gaining executive power in Saxony-Anhalt would represent a historic breakthrough for the German far right.
At the same time, the election has raised concerns among political opponents and neighbouring countries about the direction Germany could take if the AfD gains greater governing influence. The party's positions on immigration, relations with Russia and support for Ukraine remain deeply controversial.
The immediate challenge is therefore clear: the AfD has won the largest share of the vote, but it still needs a governing pathway. Whether other lawmakers are willing to support it or whether rival parties can construct an alternative majority will determine who ultimately governs Saxony-Anhalt.
The political struggle in the state is now being watched closely across Germany and Europe, because the outcome could influence the country's broader debate over the future of the far right and the limits of cooperation with it.
This is no longer simply a state-level election story. It has become a test of Germany's political firewall and of how the country's traditional parties respond when a far-right party wins a historic share of the electorate.