High-stakes ballot sees double the votes cast by 2 p.m. compared to last election in eastern German state
By 2 p.m. over half of voters had cast their ballot in a critical election that polls suggest will see the far-right frontrunner Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) come first in the state of Saxony-Anhalt in eastern Germany.
The turnout of 54.4%, according to provisional data from the regional election officials, reflects intense interest in an election that has seen an insurgent AfD spark alarm and protests from political opponents and self-styled pro-democracy activists.
The figure just over half way to the close of polling stations at 6 o’clock is more than double the number of votes cast by the same point in 2021, when citizens of what used to be part of Communist East Germany last elected their regional parliament and final turnout was just a fraction over 60%.
It remains unclear who will benefit most from the high participation rate among the roughly 1.7 million eligible voters. In the past, the AfD has managed to mobilise many people who had previously stayed away from the polls, but the highly polarising nature of the present campaign may also have stirred its opponents into action.
