150,000 Protest AfD Across 20 German Cities After Party Wins 44% in Saxony-Anhalt
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Sep 12
150,000 Protest AfD Across 20 German Cities After Party Wins 44% in Saxony-Anhalt
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Sep 12
Summary
About 150,000 people rallied in roughly 20 German cities on Saturday, protesting the far-right AfD after its landslide state election win in Saxony-Anhalt.
The demonstrations were organized by groups pushing to ban the AfD, with signs reading “Ban the AfD now,” as campaigners warned the party was edging toward government power.
AfD took nearly 44% of the September 6 vote in Saxony-Anhalt, far ahead of the CDU’s roughly 17%, and is projected to win 39 of 83 seats—three short of a majority.
That result has opened coalition talks that could make AfD the first far-right party to lead a German state since 1945, though mainstream parties still say they will uphold the anti-AfD “firewall.”
If the far-right takes control of state policing and education in Saxony-Anhalt, how will it reshape everyday German society?
Could isolating and attempting to ban the AfD actually fuel their anti-establishment appeal rather than protecting German democracy?
Germany’s Far-Right AfD Captures 44% in Saxony-Anhalt: Protests, Political Deadlock, and European Shockwaves
Overview
On September 12, 2026, the far-right AfD won a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, fueled by long-standing economic hardship, anti-immigration sentiment, and deep distrust of mainstream institutions in eastern Germany. The mainstream CDU suffered a severe defeat, and their refusal—along with other parties—to cooperate with the AfD created a political deadlock. This shock triggered mass nationwide protests and sparked intense debate about banning the AfD. Immigrant and minority communities felt vulnerable, while upcoming elections in other states faced growing uncertainty. European leaders expressed alarm, but nationalist and Russian officials celebrated, highlighting the deepening polarization and shifting political landscape in Germany and Europe.