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What is making the far-right AfD party so successful in Germany?

2026-09-08 23:30:54Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

What is making the far-right AfD party so successful in Germany?

Aggressive campaigns against refugees and migrants are at the core of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's identity. However, they do not appear to have been decisive in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt. This is shown by the analysis of voter surveys conducted by the opinion research institute Infratest Dimap on election Sunday.

According to the data, the issue of immigration actually played only a small role in people's voting decisions. Issues such as social security, peace in Europe and economic policy were significantly more decisive.

Even among AfD voters, immigration is not ranked as a top priority. Saxony-Anhalt is one of the states with the lowest percentage of foreigners in Germany: the foreign quota of around nine percent is well below the national average of around 15 percent.

Saxony-Anhalt is also one of the economically weakest states in Germany, with relatively low wages and a shortage of jobs for skilled workers. The region has suffered for decades from the emigration of skilled workers.

It is worth noting that the AfD, which in Saxony-Anhalt is clearly classified as a far-right party, left behind the rival Christian Democrats of the state's prime minister, Sven Schulze, in all areas of politics.

When it comes to fighting crime or asylum policy, twice as many people believe the AfD is capable of success as the CDU. Even on economic policy – ​​a traditional core issue associated with the CDU – the AfD has the advantage.

Poll: AfD closer to the people

The AfD also seems to be managing to create a special connection with many people at the moment. In a survey by Infrastest Dimap, 67 percent of voters surveyed said that the party had understood better than others that people in Saxony-Anhalt no longer felt safe. More than half of those surveyed also believe that the AfD is closer to the concerns of citizens than other parties.

Many people seem to not only feel understood by the AfD, but also consider it to be the party best able to solve the country's problems. When asked which party currently has the best answers to the challenges of the future, young people in particular mentioned the AfD most often. But it also leads on this question among older voters.

In contrast, the results for the governing parties in Chancellor Friedrich Merz's cabinet are disastrous. Among young voters, only five percent believe that the CDU is capable of finding the best answers to the challenges ahead, and only three percent believe that the Social Democrats are capable of doing so. A devastating verdict.

Ear-pulling for Chancellor Merz

Many people in Saxony-Anhalt also seemed to want to send a message to the federal government in this state election: 59 percent of respondents said it deserved it. It was the Christian Democrats, as the big losers in the election, who bore the brunt of this anger: 58 percent of respondents said they were most angry with the Chancellor's party.

It is therefore not surprising that Friedrich Merz received only very limited requests for support from the CDU's state parliament branch. Many people in the state are unhappy with his performance – his popularity is at an all-time low. In a ranking of the preferences of leading politicians, he lags far behind the leaders of the AfD and Social Democrats, who are part of the coalition government.

Overall, the AfD has gained significant votes across all segments of the population, but particularly among workers and the self-employed. Roughly two-thirds of workers voted for it, as did more than half of freelancers.

Although the party has increased its support among both men and women, its electorate remains predominantly male. It received 52 percent of the male vote, compared to just 32 percent of the female vote. However, it also has the strongest support among women.

Ultimately, a key factor in the AfD's electoral success was most likely the AfD's ability to mobilize a particularly large number of non-voters. It received more votes from this group than from any other group. The AfD thus benefited more than any other party from the high voter turnout of around 78 percent. (DW)


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