AfD leads in Saxony-Anhalt polls ahead of state election; Merz campaigns

In the run-up to the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, scheduled for early September 2026, the far-right AfD is leading in polls across all social groups, according to recent surveys. The party has also drawn attention with controversial candidates and tactics, such as a direct candidate with a bank robbery past and a local politician defending a Russian army mug in his office. Meanwhile, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has been campaigning in the eastern state, but his appearances have been marked by a lack of public engagement, and he has warned that an AfD victory would significantly harm the region. Merz has also pushed for pension reform, arguing that without it Germany faces a loss of prosperity.