Could the AfD become Germany’s first far-right party to lead a state since WWII?

September 4, 2026 / 12:43 PM EDT / CBS News

Magdeburg, Germany — At first glance, Magdeburg may seem an unlikely stage for a political upheaval of international significance. But this weekend, the city of only about 244,000 people will be at the center of an election that could leave a far-right party in control of a German state for the first time since World War II.

Magdeburg is the capital of the East German state of Saxony-Anhalt — where the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is hoping to rise to power in Sunday's state election.

Supporters and opponents of right-wing populist movements across Europe and beyond are watching closely to see if the AfD can turn a significant lead in opinion polls into real power.

The latest surveys show the AfD polling at 41%, well ahead of its closest rival, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which stood Friday at 23%.

Should the AfD win, it would be an extraordinary breakthrough for a party founded in 2013 largely as a protest movement against the European Union, but which has since shifted far to the right.

Since 2023, the state Office for the Protection of the Constitution has…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/