Poll shows concern over AfD candidate as party leads in Saxony-Anhalt
Nearly half of Germans view Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate Ulrich Siegmund as a threat to democracy, according to a nationwide INSA poll, even as the far-right party maintains a strong lead ahead of next month’s state election in Saxony-Anhalt.
The poll, conducted for Bild, found that 47% of respondents considered the 35-year-old Siegmund a threat to democracy, while 35% disagreed. The survey also showed broader concern over the AfD, with 53% describing the party as right-wing extremist and 37% rejecting that characterization.
Siegmund is leading the AfD into the Sept. 6 election, with the party polling at about 43% in the eastern German state. Such a result would represent a major breakthrough for the party and bring it closer than ever to potentially taking power in a German state.
Voters fear economic impact
The survey found significant concern over the possible economic consequences of an AfD-led state government.
Some 49% of respondents said such a government could deter foreign investors, while 55% expected it to discourage foreign skilled workers. Another 36% predicted that Saxony-Anhalt’s wider economy would deteriorate under AfD leadership.
The concerns come amid continued warnings from mainstream political parties and security authorities over the AfD’s far-right tendencies.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the BfV, has classified the party’s regional branches as proven right-wing extremist organizations. The agency has also warned that elements within the party promote a racist and ethnic conception of national identity that conflicts with Germany’s democratic constitutional order.
AfD faces coalition barrier
Despite its commanding lead, the AfD is not guaranteed a majority in the Saxony-Anhalt parliament.
A recent Pollytix poll put the AfD at 43%, followed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union at 23%, the Left Party at 13% and the Social Democratic Party at 7%. The Greens were around the 5% threshold, while the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance stood at 4%.
The performance of smaller parties could therefore have a significant impact on the final distribution of seats.
All major democratic parties have ruled out forming a coalition with the AfD because of its far-right positions. The election result could consequently leave Germany’s eastern state facing difficult coalition negotiations even if the AfD finishes clearly ahead.
Source:AA
