AfD Wins Saxony-Anhalt Election, Alarms Jewish Groups

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a historic electoral victory in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, securing 39 out of 83 seats in the state parliament with 43.8 percent of the vote. This result, achieved in an election held on Sunday, September 6, 2026, marks the party's strongest regional performance to date and has raised significant concerns among Jewish communities, Holocaust survivors, and Israeli officials. The AfD's success places it within reach of forming Germany's first far-right state government since the Nazi era. Germany's domestic intelligence service classifies the party as rightwing extremist. The party's platform includes plans for state-level deportations, a desire for closer relations with Russia, and a proposed recasting of history education to emphasize Germany's pre-World War II past while scaling back lessons on the Nazi era. Party leaders, including co-chairwoman Alice Weidel, deny that the AfD is far-right. The election outcome has prompted warnings about the rising influence of antisemitism in Europe.