AfD near‑majority support in East German states, poll shows
A YouGov poll commissioned by dpa found that 47 % of respondents in East Germany would support a coalition government that includes the AfD in the upcoming state elections in Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern, should the party emerge as the strongest force. In the same scenario 38 % of East Germans expect the AfD’s participation to strengthen democracy, while 34 % anticipate a weakening. In West Germany 37 % back an AfD coalition and 47 % expect it to weaken democratic institutions.
The AfD remains the leading party in the INSA "Sonntagstrend" with 28 % of the vote, followed by the Greens at 14 % – overtaking the SPD at 12 % – while the Union stays at 21 %. The poll was conducted from 20‑24 July 2026 with 1,204 respondents.
AfD state‑level candidate Ulrich Siegmund continued his campaign on a Simson mop ‑‑ a symbolic gesture that attracted roughly 1,500 people at a market rally in Weißenfels, Saxony‑Anhalt.
Analysts note a long‑term decline of the traditional "Volksparteien" in the East: the combined CDU/SPD vote fell from about 70 % in 1994 to roughly 30 % in the 2025 federal election, creating space for the AfD’s rise.
Entities: Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) · Mecklenburg-Vorpommern · Sachsen-Anhalt · Ulrich Siegmund · YouGov
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 7 SOURCES] 47 % of respondents in East Germany would support a state government that includes the AfD if it becomes the strongest party. (YouGov poll commissioned by dpa)
- [● 2 SOURCES] 38 % of East Germans expect an AfD coalition would strengthen democracy, while 34 % expect it would weaken democracy. (YouGov poll commissioned by dpa)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund held a campaign rally in Weißenfels that attracted about 1,500 participants. (dpa report on Siegmund's campaign)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Greens reached 14 % in the INSA survey, moving ahead of the SPD at 12 %. (INSA survey for Bild am Sonntag, 20‑24 July 2026)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The Union (CDU/CSU) stagnated at 21 % in the INSA survey. (INSA survey for Bild am Sonntag, 20‑24 July 2026)
- [● 2 SOURCES] 37 % of respondents in West Germany would support an AfD coalition, while 47 % expect it would weaken democracy. (YouGov poll commissioned by dpa)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The combined vote share for CDU and SPD in East Germany fell from roughly 70 % in 1994 to about 30 % in the 2025 federal election. (Analysis of party decline in East Germany)
- [● 7 SOURCES] In the INSA Sunday trend, the AfD leads with 28 % of the vote. (INSA survey for Bild am Sonntag, 20‑24 July 2026)