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Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk warns of authoritarianism amid AfD rise
Historian and DDR researcher Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk has expressed grave concerns regarding the political trajectory in Germany, warning that the country is approaching an 'authoritarian age.' His commentary comes amid rising political tension in eastern Germany, specifically ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt state election scheduled for September 6, 2026.
Recent polling by pollytix indicates the Alternative for Germany (AfD), led by top candidate Ulrich Siegmund, is currently the strongest force in Saxony-Anhalt with 43 percent, significantly ahead of the CDU at 23 percent. If current trends hold, the AfD could become the strongest party in a German federal state for the first time.
Kowalczuk argues that both the AfD entering government and being excluded from power present significant risks. He predicts that the radicalization of extremists will continue regardless of the specific election results.
Entities
AfD · CDU · Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk · Saxony-Anhalt · Ulrich Siegmund
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] A mid-August survey by pollytix placed the AfD at 43 percent in Saxony-Anhalt. www.news38.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Historian Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk warns that Germany is on the threshold of an authoritarian era. www.freitag.de · www.news38.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] Kowalczuk fears that the radicalization of extremists will progress regardless of the election outcome. www.news38.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Saxony-Anhalt state election is scheduled for September 6, 2026. www.news38.de · www.thueringen24.de
- [● 2 SOURCES] The CDU is polling at 23 percent in Saxony-Anhalt. www.news38.de · www.thueringen24.de