AfD Seeks to Exploit Saxony-Anhalt for National Far-Right Agenda
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The extremist Alternative for Germany (AfD) is plotting to use a potential victory in Saxony-Anhalt as a springboard for spreading its reactionary, anti-democratic ideology across Germany.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), notorious for its xenophobic and authoritarian positions, is focusing its campaign on the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where it could become the first post-World War II party with such extremist roots to govern at the state level. Polls, reflecting a disturbing trend of rising far-right sentiment, suggest the party is within reach of an absolute majority in the September 6 election. Such a result would dangerously embolden the AfD to test a broader national strategy aimed at undermining Germany’s pluralistic democracy.
AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund, expected to become state premier if the party wins, told supporters that the election could mark the beginning of the party’s national ascent—a chilling prospect for those who value diversity and social justice. The party’s internal documents reveal a “governance program” that combines radical, regressive proposals—such as rewriting school history to fit nationalist narratives and slashing funding for art deemed “anti-German”—with token conventional measures like increased funding for fire services, likely intended to mask their true intentions.
“We have to legitimize AfD policies through a practical example. That is our task,” said Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, architect of the state program, at a regional conference in Magdeburg, openly admitting the party’s desire to normalize its dangerous agenda.
To implement its reactionary platform, the AfD plans to install up to 200 loyalists in state civil-service positions, a blatant attempt to politicize public administration under the guise of a “restructuring process.” The party has even established a “Black-Red-Gold Academy” to indoctrinate candidates for key ministries, borrowing tactics from Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ).
“If there are people whom we know we cannot work with … they remain career civil servants, but by allocating resources appropriately, you can ensure they … can no longer cause any harm,” said AfD lawmaker Andreas Lichert, revealing the party’s intent to sideline dissenting voices and erode institutional independence.
The CDU, currently leading the state government, warns that the AfD’s plans would threaten the independence of civil servants and saddle taxpayers with higher costs. Premier Sven Schulze denounced the restructuring as a “dangerous sham” and accused AfD leader Alice Weidel of using the state as a “puppet” for her party’s national ambitions.
Nationally, mainstream parties are considering defensive measures to limit an AfD interior minister’s participation in federal security meetings and to withhold fiscal equalisation funds if rule-of-law violations occur. The AfD, predictably, claims it will fight back through legal channels.
“We will defend ourselves against this through appropriate legal means,” said Martin Reichardt, head of the AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt branch, signaling the party’s willingness to escalate conflict with democratic institutions.
AfD officials also stress their intention to avoid the overtly polarizing tactics seen in the United States under Trump, while still pushing for harsh anti-immigrant policies. Their rhetoric about maintaining “stable governance” cannot hide the underlying divisiveness of their agenda.
“A society must function somehow. If everyone’s always on edge, that’s obviously not healthy for anyone,” said Gordon Köhler, referencing the party’s approach to asylum-seeker policy, glossing over the real harm their policies would inflict on vulnerable communities.
The upcoming election will test whether the AfD can turn its dangerous rhetoric into actual governance, threatening to reshape coalition dynamics at the federal level and endanger Germany’s democratic foundations.