Germany debates reforms to limit AfD as party gains in regional polls

Germany is confronting the rising support of the right‑wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is projected to win a majority in the September regional elections in Saxony‑Anhalt and Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern. Lawmakers have floated proposals to synchronise all state elections with the national vote, eliminate the unanimous‑consent rule for interior ministers, and even bar ministers from extremist parties – ideas that constitutional scholars say clash with democratic principles.

AfD leader Alice Weidel has used the party’s momentum to call for Germany to resume purchases of Russian oil and gas, arguing that sanctions have raised energy prices, caused job losses and pushed the economy into stagnation. Weidel says winning the regional contests would be a "milestone" toward an AfD chancellor in the 2029 federal election, while the current government under Friedrich Merz maintains its support for Ukraine.