The German state of Saxony-Anhalt is preparing for an election on 6 September, where the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party is currently leading in national polls and is poised to capture around 40% of the vote in the state.
If the AfD secures an absolute majority, it would mark the first time a far-right party has taken power in one of Germany's 16 Länder since Adolf Hitler's era. The party has focused its campaign on the cost of living, immigration concerns, and the effects of deindustrialisation and depopulation.
The AfD's programme also outlines a vision for Germany, with Saxony-Anhalt as a base, and includes a 'think German' campaign promising a 'new, patriotic cultural policy' and an end to funding for 'anti-German art and culture'. This plan is reportedly fixated on the legacy of the Bauhaus design school, which flourished in Dessau, Saxony-Anhalt, a century ago.
Authorities classify the national AfD party as suspected extremist and its Saxony-Anhalt chapter as confirmed extremist, indicating it poses a threat to democracy. Barbara Steiner, director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, expressed concerns that an AfD victory could lead to funding cuts for her institution and have a chilling effect on public debate, cooperation, and innovation.