Voters in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt are set to cast ballots in an election that could result in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party forming a state government for the first time since the Nazi period, according to The New York Times.
The newspaper reports that the AfD is projected to perform strongly in the vote, which is seen as a critical test of Germany’s post-war political consensus. If the party wins enough seats, it could break the so-called “firewall” that mainstream parties have maintained to keep the AfD out of governing coalitions at the state level.
The Guardian also predicts a significant victory for the AfD in the election, while DW.com notes that the party is specifically eyeing a role in Saxony-Anhalt’s government. Fox News adds that the AfD’s campaign has centered on anti-migrant messaging, and that a win would mark a historic shift in German politics.
The New York Times has profiled the AfD’s lead candidate in the state, describing him as a former salesman who has brought the party to the edge of power. The outlet frames the election as a potential milestone, as no far-right party has held state-level executive authority in Germany since the Nazi era ended in 1945.
Mainstream parties have so far refused to form coalitions with the AfD, but a strong result could pressure that stance. The outcome of the vote will determine whether the firewall holds, or whether the AfD enters government for the first time in the country’s modern history.
