Far-right AfD eyes win in east German state vote
Election posters for Ulrich Siegmund, the top candidate for the Afd in the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, are seen fixed on a fence in Osterwieck, Germany. (AFP Photo)
Germany faces a landmark regional election on Sept. 6 in the ex-communist east where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is expected to win and has its sights on heading its first state government.
While it is far from assured that the AfD will win enough votes to rule the state alone, topping the polls in Saxony-Anhalt state would heap pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and spell another boost for the anti-immigration party.
For months the AfD has polled at 40 percent or higher in the state, led by its top candidate Ulrich Siegmund, a telegenic 35-year-old who is feted like a rock star at campaign events and by his legions of TikTok followers.
