'In deep shock': Germany reacts to far right's seismic win in local election

'In deep shock': Germany reacts to far right's seismic win in local election Submitted by Pauline Ertel on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 14:28 Saxony-Anhalt marks the AfD’s strongest performance in a regional election – and the highest vote share any party has secured at that level in the past decade Alternative for Germany (AfD) party co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, and lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund (centre), celebrate in Berlin on 7 September 2026 (Liesa Johannssen/Reuters) Off The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained a record high number of votes in Saxony-Anhalt's election, sending shockwaves across Germany . On Sunday, the eastern German state held regional elections during which the AfD won 43. 8 percent of the vote, a rise of 23 percent since the last election in 2021.