AfD on track to become first far-right party since WW2 to win a majority in a German state parliament, polls show

The far-right Alternative for Germany is predicted to come first in at least one of two elections in eastern German states on Sunday, in what will be the first time a far-right party has the most seats in a German state parliament since World War Two.

The 11-year-old AfD, which has greater support in the formerly communist-run east, will be unlikely to be able to form a state government even if it does win, as it is polling short of a majority and other parties refuse to collaborate with it.

But its win will pile pressure on Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s federal coalition over the economy, immigration and support for Ukraine, and its strength will complicate coalition building, and potentially allow it to block constitutional changes and appointments of some judges.

The AfD is polling 30% in Thuringia, nearly 10 points ahead of the conservatives in second place, while tying with them in Saxony on around 30-32%. The newly created far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) is set to come third in both states.

Strong gains for the two anti-establishment parties herald growing instability in Europe’s biggest economy, reflecting a fragmentation of the political landscape that could also complicate efforts to form coherent national governments.

The AfD’s signature topic of migration shot up the agenda after a knife attack a week ago in the western city of Solingen in which a 26-year-old suspected Islamic State member from Syria is accused of killing three people.

“We want to end the failure of the state, the loss of control,” AfD co-leader Alice Weidel told a campaign event on Wednesday in Dresden. “That can only be done through a sustainable change in migration and asylum policy.”