AfD polling as frontrunner in Saxony-Anhalt state election
Voting began Sunday in Germany's eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, with polls showing the far-right AfD as the clear frontrunner ahead of Chancellor Merz's CDU. The party has said education reform would be a top priority if it wins.
Voting opened on Sunday in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt for a closely watched regional election. Recent opinion polls put the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party at just over 40 percent support.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) trails in second place, polling at around 23 percent. The wide gap between the two parties suggests the AfD could emerge as the winner of the vote.
Education system in focus
According to France 24 journalist Shirli Stibon, one of the main changes the AfD would pursue if it wins is a reform of the education system. The party has said it wants to "reset" education, though the source material does not detail what specific changes this would involve in practice.
Saxony-Anhalt is among the eastern German states where the AfD has built substantial voter support in recent years. The outcome of the election will be watched closely as an indicator of the party's growing influence both regionally and nationally.
