Voters in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt are expected to give the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) a resounding victory in elections scheduled for 6 September. This outcome could potentially lead to a German far-right party assuming power for the first time since the Nazis, depending on the final arithmetic.
It is possible the AfD might narrowly miss taking power if enough centrist parties surpass the 5% threshold required to enter the legislature. In such a scenario, a coalition of mainstream centre-right to centre-left parties might form a government.
The AfD's organisation in Saxony-Anhalt and nearby Thuringia has been formally designated as extremist by domestic intelligence. The party's positions include pledges on "remigration," downplaying Nazi history, and a favourable stance towards the Kremlin.