AfD's Record Win in Saxony-Anhalt Strains Germany's Firewall

The AfD won Saxony-Anhalt's state election on 6 September 2026 with just over 44% — its best-ever result — narrowly missing an outright majority. Reuters called it a "first step toward federal power." The outcome deepens pressure on rival parties' Brandmauer pledge: a commitment to never govern alongside the AfD.