11-09-2026
The nationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, causing nationwide concern and leaving many people of Turkish origin worried about their future in Germany. Gökay Sofuoglu, co-chair of the Turkish Community in Germany, said some Turkish-origin business owners initially considered closing their shops and leaving the state or even the country. Although many are now waiting to see how a government is formed, Sofuoglu described the AfD’s success as a threat to democratic stability and Germany’s constitutional order, rather than merely an anti-immigration development.
The result has also heightened fears of nationalist and neo-Nazi violence. Sofuoglu warned that attacks similar to those carried out by the National Socialist Underground could increase, potentially without sufficient investigation into their motives. At the same time, lawyer and researcher Alaz Sümer argued that fear alone is not an adequate response. He said established parties had failed to address the social and political problems that enabled the AfD to gain strength, and that politicians should engage with AfD voters rather than simply condemn the party.
Irmak, a Turkish-origin resident of Leipzig, said the result was worrying but predictable. She attributed the AfD’s success partly to government policies that had failed to address citizens’ needs and emphasized that changing governments would not eliminate Germany’s need for workers and young people, particularly in an aging state such as Saxony-Anhalt.
Sümer also opposed banning the AfD, arguing that prohibition could strengthen the party or drive its most extreme members into less visible organizations. The article concludes that racism and the problems faced by migrants are broader than the AfD itself. Saxony-Anhalt had about 2.1 million residents in 2025, including approximately 249,000 people with a migration background and 6,120 people of Turkish origin; Germany as a whole has roughly three million people of Turkish origin.
Entities: Alternative for Germany (AfD), Saxony-Anhalt, Gökay Sofuoglu, Turkish Community in Germany (TGD), Alaz Sümer • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: analyze
11-09-2026
After winning a record 39 of 83 seats in Saxony-Anhalt’s state parliament, Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is trying to find a governing partner. Its leader, 35-year-old Ulrich Siegmund, is holding discussions with the small far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) and with individual members of other parties to determine whether a stable majority is possible. The AfD fell short of the absolute majority Siegmund had sought during the campaign, meaning it cannot govern alone and may face difficulties even if it secures support from another party.
The BSW, which holds five seats, shares some of the AfD’s positions, including restricting immigration and restoring ties with Russia. However, it has so far rejected a formal coalition and is demanding that the state have an independent premier—an arrangement Siegmund does not accept. Germany’s mainstream parties have otherwise maintained a “firewall” against cooperation with the AfD, which the state’s domestic security agency classifies as extremist far-right.
If talks with the BSW fail, the AfD could try to persuade some of the 15 Christian Democratic Union (CDU) legislators to defect and support it. The CDU is divided over the firewall policy, but no confirmed defections have emerged. Siegmund has also raised the possibility of a new election if no party is willing to take responsibility for forming a government. The negotiations highlight the difference between the AfD’s strong electoral performance and its limited ability to govern while isolated by other parties. They also carry national significance because the AfD is Germany’s most popular party nationally and is seeking a state-level foothold for policies including tougher immigration restrictions, renewed ties with Russia, reduced support for Ukraine and withdrawal from the euro.
Entities: Alternative for Germany (AfD), Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), Ulrich Siegmund, Friedrich Merz, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: analyze
11-09-2026
Ulrich Siegmund, the likely future leader of Germany’s eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt and a senior figure in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), said the party would not categorically oppose an arms manufacturer operating in the state. He linked possible weapons production to the AfD’s plans for large-scale deportation and “repatriation” campaigns, arguing that military equipment could provide resources for those efforts as well as for internal security and national defence.
The comments could affect the future of a proposed defence-industry investment in Sangerhausen. German public broadcaster MDR reported that Israel’s Elbit Systems was discussing the construction of a plant there to manufacture components for other German defence companies. Local officials said the facility would not produce complete weapons systems, drones or artillery shells, but could create as many as 400 jobs. Elbit Systems Deutschland said it was continually assessing expansion opportunities in Germany, while stressing that no future locations had been selected.
The AfD has campaigned against Germany’s increased defence spending under Chancellor Friedrich Merz and military aid for Ukraine, while advocating closer ties with Russia and presenting itself as a “party of peace.” The party won a historic election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, narrowly missing an outright majority, and has promised deportations “from the first minute,” citizen patrols and separate classrooms for refugee children.
Siegmund said the AfD would examine what was produced at the Sangerhausen site and whether the project could draw the state into foreign conflicts. His position may complicate potential cooperation with the left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), the only party that has not ruled out working with the AfD. Although the BSW also opposes German military support for Ukraine, it has rejected the Sangerhausen project and its economic rationale for attracting foreign defence companies.
Entities: Alternative for Germany (AfD), Ulrich Siegmund, Saxony-Anhalt, Sangerhausen, Elbit Systems • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
