German Right Wing Party Takes Historic Win in Eastern State

Germany’s Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), a right-wing party, achieved a historic win in a state election—its first in 60 years—and is on the verge of another victory in a neighboring state.

The state-level elections on Sept. 1 in Germany’s two eastern states aimed to elect new state legislatures, the Landtage, which handle local matters—similar to the role of U.S. state legislatures.

Projections show the AfD leading in the east German state of Thuringia with approximately 33 percent of the vote, while a newly-formed leftist party also garnered significant support. Parties representing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centrist coalition lagged behind both factions in the state.

The Christian Democratic Union, a center-right national opposition party, also trailed, securing around 24 percent of the vote.

Meanwhile, the newly-formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), a populist-leaning leftist party, is expected to receive around 16 percent of the vote in Thuringia.

The most significant setback in the elections appears to be linked to Scholz, who has been facing low approval ratings and widespread dissatisfaction with his government—especially in Germany’s east.

According to projections, his party, the Social Democratic Party, will maintain seats but only just; his centrist coalition is projected to secure around 8 percent of the vote.

Other States

The AfD’s strong performance was not limited to Thuringia: projections from the neighboring eastern state of Saxony place the party in a close second.

In that race, the Christian Democratic Union seemed to be leading with between 31.5 and 31.8 percent of the vote.

The AfD, however, closely follows with between 30.8 and 31.4 percent of the vote—leaving open the possibility of securing a majority in both races.

The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance received 12 percent of the vote in Saxony, while Scholz’s party once again faced single-digit results.

The outcomes signify a disappointing loss of seats for the German ruling party amidst the AfD’s rising support in the formerly communist eastern part of the country.

As the government in Berlin grapples with dismal approval ratings and diminishing voter confidence, eastern Germans have expressed criticism of mass immigration, inflation, and German support for Ukraine—issues that resonate with leaders across the United States and Europe.

Europe At Crossroads

In a country where centrists have dominated politics since the end of WWII, the AfD’s victory has surprised some Germans, especially as the party has made gains in races across the continent.

In June, the AfD secured a strong second-place position in the European Parliament elections.

In the same election, France’s right-wing party, the National Rally, garnered about 32 percent of the vote, claiming the largest share of votes in the race.

A last-minute alliance of centrists and leftists managed to prevent a right-wing victory in the subsequent French parliamentary elections, but the results highlighted the growing influence of the right wing in Western Europe.

Right-wing parties also experienced similar successes in certain races across Europe.

While the AfD’s projected victory in Thuringia indicates increasing support for the German right, it is unlikely to result in AfD control of the two states’ legislatures: other major parties in the race have already ruled out collaboration with the right.

Nevertheless, the nature of potential coalitions remains uncertain. For centrists and leftists to prevent the AfD from attaining a majority in the two states, they will need to form an uneasy alliance.

German voters will also decide on their federal election leaders next year.