Germany’s far-right AfD poised for major victory in Thuringia; Scholz’s coalition faces defeat
Supporters gather at an election campaign rally of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party ahead of the Thuringia state elections, in Erfurt, Germany August 31, 2024. (Reuters Photo)
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is on track to secure its first state election victory, according to exit polls from public broadcaster ARD on Sunday.
The AfD is projected to win 30.5% of the vote in Thuringia, leading by approximately 6% over the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU). This would mark a historic win for the anti-immigrant party in the eastern state.
Compared to the 2019 elections, the AfD increased its vote by 7.4 points, marking the first time in the post-World War II period that a far-right party has taken first place in a state parliamentary election in Germany.
Scholz’s SPD faces heavy defeat
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) are forecast to achieve only 7%, marking one of their worst-ever results in this state. The SPD’s coalition partners—the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats—are expected to fall below the 5% threshold required to enter the state parliament.
The newly formed left-wing populist party, Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), is anticipated to secure 16% of the vote, making it the third-largest group in the state parliament.
In neighboring Saxony, the race is tight with exit polls showing the AfD receiving 30% of the vote, narrowly trailing behind the Christian Democrats, who are projected to garner 31.5%.
Dissatisfaction with Ukraine policy
Scholz’s left-liberal coalition faces anticipated losses amid voter dissatisfaction with the government’s Ukraine policy, costly energy reforms, and concerns over irregular migration.
Exit polls place the Social Democrats at about 8.5%, the Greens at 5.5%, and the Free Democrats below 2%. Sahra Wagenknecht’s BSW party is forecast to win approximately 12% of the vote.
The elections in these two eastern states are viewed as a critical test for Chancellor Scholz and his coalition government ahead of next year’s federal elections. Voter concerns primarily center on economic welfare, irregular migration, and domestic security, with calls for stronger governmental action on these issues.
