Today, September 6, 2026, Germany witnessed a political upheaval that could completely change the future of the federal republic. The ongoing state elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt have captured the attention of all of Europe. According to the latest opinion polls before the polls closed, the far-right Alternative for Germany party is (AfD) takes the clear lead, ahead of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Record voter turnout in Saxony-Anhalt
Election day was marked by an unprecedented mobilization of voters. As of 4:00 p.m. local time, voter turnout had reached an impressive 65.3% - a figure that exceeded the final turnout from the previous elections in 2021 (60.3%). These figures were officially announced by the regional press center of the public media MDR (link: www.mdr.de/nachrichten/sachsen-anhalt/landtagswahl). The massive turnout reflects the enormous importance that citizens attach to this vote.
AfD vs. CDU: Political upheaval in Germany
Before the polls closed at 6:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. Bulgarian time), the sociological agencies “Infratest dimap“ and “Forschungsgruppe Wahlen“ predicted a crushing lead for the AfD. The party, led in the region by 35-year-old Ulrich Sigmund, had been garnering support of over 41-42 percent in recent polls. At the same time, the CDU of the current state premier, Sven Schulze, remained far behind with only 22-23 percent. The German news program Tagesschau (link: www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/landtagswahl-sachsen-anhalt) reported on these attitudes in detail.
Such a result is a historical precedent for Germany after World War II, as the local branch of the AfD was classified by the constitutional protection services as proven right-wing extremist.
Challenges to forming a government
Despite its clear victory, it will be extremely difficult for the AfD to take over the government on its own. Leader Ulrich Sigmund has already announced that he will only claim the post of prime minister if his party receives an absolute majority in parliament. Since all other political forces - including the CDU, the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Left - categorically rule out a coalition with the AfD, the province is facing a severe political crisis. You can read more about the possible post-election scenarios and the distribution of mandates on the specialized portal Wahlrecht (link: www.wahlrecht.de/news/2026/landtagswahl-sachsen-anhalt-2026).
The next few hours will be crucial for the counting of votes, including the huge number of ballots sent by post, which will shape the final composition of the new Landtag in Magdeburg.