Introduction

On Sunday, September 1, 2024, state elections were held in two eastern German states: Thuringia and Saxony. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a significant milestone in these elections.

Adf is anti-immigration and anti-EU

Thuringia Election

In Thuringia, the AfD secured a historic victory, becoming the first far-right party to win a state election in Germany since the Nazi era.

The party garnered approximately 32.8% of the votes, significantly outperforming other parties. This marks a landmark result for the AfD, as it’s the first time they’ve won a state election since the party’s founding in 2013.

Saxony Election

In Saxony, while the AfD didn’t secure the top position, they came in a very close second. The center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) narrowly won with 31.9% of the vote, while the AfD secured 30.6%. This strong performance in Saxony further underscores the AfD’s growing influence in eastern Germany.

Significance

These election results are particularly noteworthy because:

It’s the first time since World War II that a far-right party has become the leading force in a German state parliament.

The outcomes reflect growing dissatisfaction with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s administration and mainstream parties.

They highlight a deepening political divide between eastern and western Germany.

Conclusion

The AfD’s success is attributed to its strong anti-immigration stance, skepticism about Germany’s support for Ukraine, and its ability to tap into long-standing grievances in eastern Germany related to perceived economic and social disparities since reunification.