AfD threatens absolute majority in Saxony-Anhalt election

The landtag election in Saxony‑Anhalt is scheduled for 6 September 2026. Polls show the AfD leading with around 41‑44 % of the vote, putting an absolute majority within reach. A new online initiative called “Taktisch wählen” offers voters postal‑code‑based recommendations to boost smaller parties and block an AfD majority, advising support for the Greens or SPD to clear the five‑percent hurdle. The SPD, meanwhile, risks falling below that threshold, prompting a fundraising appeal that cites a DIW study estimating that an AfD‑led government could cut average incomes by €1 600 per person and cost up to 10 000 jobs in the state. Political scientists such as Liana Fix warn that an AfD participation in government would create a “nightmare scenario” for Europe. Public opinion is split: a YouGov poll finds 47 % of East German respondents open to an AfD coalition versus 37 % in the West, while many fear democratic backsliding. Demonstrations against the AfD have taken place in cities such as Ansbach and Magdeburg, underscoring the heightened political tension ahead of the vote.