AfD's German state win signals far-right pressure on Ukraine policy

September 22, 2026 at 04:20 PM2 min

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The far-right Alternative for Germany won 43.8 percent in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, its strongest state result since World War II. The party also took over 38 percent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania two weeks later, prompting Chancellor Friedrich Merz to call the outcome a disaster. The AfD's rise is pulling German voters to the political extremes and raising questions about future support for Ukraine.

Key Facts

The AfD won 43.8 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, defeating the governing CDU.
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania two weeks later, the AfD took more than 38 percent while the CDU failed to reach the 5 percent threshold.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the CDU's failure to enter the regional parliament a disaster.
The left-wing Die Linke party won 25.3 percent in a Berlin by-election on Sunday, showing voters moving to both political extremes.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised the AfD on Tuesday as a popular force talking about establishing relations with Russia.

Electoral Gains

The AfD's 43.8 percent in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6 was its strongest state election result since World War II. The party then took more than 38 percent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where the CDU fell below the 5 percent threshold. Chancellor Friedrich Merz described the CDU's failure to enter that regional parliament as a disaster. In a Berlin by-election on Sunday, the left-wing Die Linke party won 25.3 percent, indicating polarization on both ends of the spectrum.

Foreign Policy Impact

Political scientist Catherine Fieschi of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said the AfD's rise is bad news for Merz, Germany, the Franco-German engine, and therefore Ukraine. The AfD wants dialogue with Russia and has adopted Russian positions, according to Ronald Meinardus of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. Meinardus said the AfD repeatedly calls for stopping all military and financial support to Ukraine, refusing Ukraine entry into the EU and NATO, restoring relations with Russia, and restarting Nord Stream. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov lauded the AfD on Tuesday as a popular political force talking about establishing relations with Russia, saying this cannot fail to appeal to Moscow.