Friedrich Merz Warns of Potential Economic and Political Risks if Far-Right AfD Party Wins Saxony-Anhalt State Election

Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the Saxony-Anhalt state election could result in significant problems for the region if the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secures victory. The AfD currently leads polls with 40% support, threatening to become the first far-right state government in Germany since the end of Nazi rule. Merz expressed concern that international investors might be hesitant to attend the first projects in the region alongside an AfD state premier. To counter the AfD's dominance, Merz pledged to appear twice in the state over the coming week to convince undecided voters to avoid the far-right party. Meanwhile, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and state premier Cem Özdemir have called for swift legal proceedings to ban the most radical branches of the AfD, arguing that their ethno-nationalist views may be unconstitutional. Despite these concerns, former Chancellor Angela Merkel urged voters to stand up for democracy, noting that while the AfD has dominated political discussions, the majority of Germans are not yet AfD voters.

Sources

• The Guardian
  The Guardian view on the rise of Germany’s AfD: mainstream parties must deliver a bolder response | Editorial

---

Paywall and unreadable sources

• The Economist
  The Alternative for Germany has plans for Saxony-Anhalt
• The Economist
  How the Alternative for Germany would govern
• Bloomberg.com
  Merz Is Invisible on Campaign as German Far Right Nears Victory
• The New York Times
  Far Right Is Poised to Win in a German State, but Fight Over Power Won’t End There