AfD wins big in Saxony-Anhalt, Merz vows to stay as CDU leader

In the September 2026 state election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, the far-right AfD scored a landslide victory, winning nearly an absolute majority. The result has put pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who is also chancellor candidate, as his reform agenda faces complications and his party's ally in the state, the CDU's Sepp Müller, has ruled out cooperation with the Left party. Merz has vowed to remain in his position despite the setback.

The AfD has invited all parties in Saxony-Anhalt to exploratory talks, but other parties have largely rejected cooperation. The outcome has also affected the election campaign in neighboring Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where SPD leader Manuela Schwesig has signaled a tougher stance against the AfD. Analysts and commentators debate what the AfD's success means for liberal democracy in Germany, while international reactions, such as from Italy's right, show divisions over how to respond.