The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has secured a historic landslide in local elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, an outcome widely described as a watershed moment given it marks the first major electoral breakthrough for a hard-right nationalist party in Germany since 1945. Although Saxony-Anhalt is one of Germany's smallest and least populous regions, the result carries national significance, piling further pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz's already unpopular coalition government and reflecting the AfD's rise to become the country's most popular party nationwide, not just in the east.

The AfD, whose regional Saxony-Anhalt branch has been classified as far-right extremist by German authorities, fell narrowly short of an outright majority but claimed a clear mandate to govern. The vote drew international attention: US President Donald Trump shared the exit poll on Truth Social, reflecting ideological overlap between the AfD's anti-immigration "Germany for Germans" stance and his own MAGA movement, while Russian official Kirill Dmitriev hailed the result and branded Merz's government "discredited." Analysts note the AfD's pro-Russia positions, including opposition to Ukraine aid and sanctions and support for resuming Russian energy imports, resonate particularly in the poorer east, at a moment when Germany, the EU's largest economy, faces mounting pressure from Russian aggression, US tariffs and Chinese competition.