BERLIN, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The likely leader of the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the far-right Alternative for Germany's Ulrich Siegmund, suggested a weapons producer could be allowed to operate in the state to provide resources for his party's planned deportation campaigns.The AfD, which wants to restore ties with Russia and brands itself a "party of peace", opposes Germany's record defence spending under Chancellor Friedrich Merz and military support for Ukraine, raising questions about the future of a planned defence industry investment in the city of Sangerhausen.

Why did German voters - who have in recent decades proved to be much more moderate than their neighbors - embrace such a radical party?

After the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, the country’s political attention has begun to shift to two…