How will an AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt impact Germany – and should Jews be worried?

The upcoming election in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, is drawing significant attention due to the potential for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to achieve its most substantial electoral success since its 2013 founding. While the AfD is predicted to win around 40% of the vote, making it the leading party, it is unlikely to form a government due to mainstream parties' refusal to coalesce with them, a strategy known as a "firewall."

For the first time, the party could use the machinery of a state government and thereby gain substantially greater political and institutional influence at the federal level.

However, a strong showing could still grant the AfD influence over state-level institutions like the interior ministry, police, and education, according to Stephan Kramer, president of Thuringia's domestic intelligence agency. Voters in economically depressed former East German states are drawn to the AfD's anti-immigrant and anti-EU rhetoric. Despite the party's claims of supporting Jewish life, its platform includes a ban on ritual slaughter, and some leaders have been accused of using antisemitic language and testing legal boundaries regarding Nazi-era slogans. Prominent Jewish figures, such as Charlotte Knobloch, have called for the party to be banned, stating, "Even the Nazi Party started small and tried out what was possible."