Germany's far-right AfD party is closing in on a once-unthinkable prize: an absolute majority in a state government. As polls show the party in the lead ahead of Saxony-Anhalt's September 6 election, can the center hold?
Report
September 4, 2026 • 12:25 pm ET
Jeffrey Gedmin
Bottom lines up front
Elites and establishment parties in Europe have been losing ground for more than a decade.On September 6, Germany’s right-wing populists may be set for a first step to federal power.Europe’s future may depend on the ability of mainstream German parties to set a new course.
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