Janice R. Andrews
As people in Thuringia and Saxony in the east of Germany get ready to vote, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is likely to make big gains. According to polls, the AfD is ahead in Thuringia. In Saxony, however, the party is tied with the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). This could mean a change in the political scene, especially since Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and its coalition partners have been having a hard time getting ahead in recent polls.
On Saturday, thousands of people protested in Erfurt, the city of Thuringia. They called the AfD Nazis and spoke out against its anti-immigrant views. The AfD, on the other hand, has taken even more controversial stances, asking for the removal of illegal immigrants from Germany. On Sunday, polling places in both states will open at 8:00 a.m. local time (06:00 GMT). A lot of people will be watching Thuringia, where the AfD is likely to win the most votes.
Some polls show that the SPD, along with its coalition partners the Greens and Liberals, might not get a single place in the state government in Thuringia. Thuringia considers the AfD to be a right-wing radical group, and it continues to cause trouble. Its regional head, Björn Höcke, was recently fined for the supposed use of a Nazi slogan, which he claims doing on purpose.
The AfD and the CDU are tied for first place in Saxony. A recent knife attack in western Germany, which was reportedly done by a Syrian seeking asylum, has stoked debates about migration and made people more likely to back the AfD’s strict views. If the AfD wins the elections, it would be a big change, but other parties have already said they won’t work with them, which could limit their power even if they do well. People see these elections as very important signs for the 2025 German federal elections.
