AfD Dominates Saxony-Anhalt: A Turning Point for Germany? | DW News

Sep 6, 2026 | The AfD has emerged as the dominant force in Saxony-Anhalt, but election victories do not automatically translate into political power. What drove voters to back the party, and what does the result mean for Germany's political future?

Brent Goff speaks with political correspondents Matthew Moore and Bernd Riegert, DW Berlin bureau chief Max Hofmann, and historian and author Katja Hoyer. They break down the results, reactions from party headquarters, the challenge of forming a government, the pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the wider implications for German politics.

Germany’s Far Right Tops Key State Race, but Falls Short of Power

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Alternative for Germany party is projected to finish first in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. But lacking a majority, without the help of other parties it cannot become the first far-right party to govern a state since 1945.

The Alternative for Germany party dominated a crucial state election on Sunday, according to near-final results, but fell short of the absolute majority that would have made it the first far-right party to govern part of the country since the Nazi era.

If those results hold, the AfD, as the party is known by its German initials, could still assume power in the eastern Saxony-Anhalt state in the coming weeks, depending on the outcome of negotiations among rival parties that have vowed not to support an AfD government.

Saxony-Anhalt is a relatively small state, and the heart of the AfD’s power base in eastern Germany. But the result has sent shock waves through the country’s political system, which was designed after World War II to prevent extremist parties from ever returning to power.

The political establishment has treated the AfD as a pariah, but the party tapped into voter frustration on a wide range of economic and social issues to win about 44 percent of the vote in the state, and was set to claim 39 of the 83 seats in the Parliament.

“We’ve made history, and we’re taking our country back,” Ulrich Siegmund, the party’s candidate to lead the state, told a cheering crowd on Sunday evening. “It all starts here in Saxony-Anhalt.” Live Updates » | Jim Tankersley and Christopher F. Schuetze | Reporting from Berlin and Magdeburg, Germany | Sunday, September 6, 2026

MEGA EPISODE: Third Reich: Inside 12 Years of Terror I SLICE HISTORY

Adolf Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor on 30 January, 1933. Once they had seized power in Germany, the Nazis no longer relinquished it until their demise on 8 May, 1945. The Third Reich lasted for 12 years, 3 months and 9 days. It began with great hopes and unprecedented jubilation and ended after a world war in which 50 million people were killed, Germany was destroyed and the European Jews murdered.

To mark the 75th anniversary of the seizure of power by the Nazis, SPIEGEL TV embarks on a unique journey through the bleakest chapter of German history. Michael Kloft traces the story of the Third Reich, painting a picture of Nazi dictatorship behind the propaganda by utilizing what in some cases is previously unpublished footage. In describing the politics, day-to-day life, the war years and the crimes of the Nazi state, he is aided by three famous historians: Sir Ian Kershaw has set worldwide standards with his biography of Hitler, Brigitte Hamann illuminates the background to the fascination with the Fuehrer in her groundbreaking studies and Götz Aly describes the “feel good dictatorship” of the thirties and mercilessly shows how the Germans plundered the rest of Europe in his book “Hitler's Beneficiaries”.

Documentary: Chronicle of the Third Reich Part 1-4 (2010)
Directed by: Michael Kloft
Production: SPIEGEL TV

The Nazis, The Rabbi and the Camera (Re-upload) | ARTE.tv Documentary

Sep 6, 2026 | An American photographer and rabbi undertook a lengthy investigation to find the descendants of Jews who were saved thanks to the director of the Leitz family business, which manufactured the iconic Leica camera.

Protesters Demonstrate Against Germany’s Far-Right Party

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Ahead of the election in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, protesters demonstrated against the AfD, the far-right party. Surveys suggest the AfD could be the first far-right party to win a state election since World War II. | By Jorge Mitssunaga | Saturday, September 5, 2026

Watch the NYT video here »

Far-right AfD Leads Polls ahead of Crucial Saxony-Anhalt State Election in Germany | DW News

Sep 5, 2026 | It’s the final day of campaigning ahead of a crucial state election in Germany that could give the far-right a mandate to govern for the first time. Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany is heading into Sunday’s Saxony-Anhalt election with a strong lead in the polls, even though authorities have designated the party’s state branch as anti-constitutional and a far-right extremist group. Rival parties have ruled out working with the AfD, while nearly a third of voters remain undecided.

Could Germany’s Far Right Take Power in a State for the First Time? | DW News

Sep 5, 2026 | A regional election this weekend could fundamentally change the political landscape in Germany. The far-right AfD is on course for a resounding victory and could take over a state government for the first time. The latest opinion polls puts the AfD at 42%. That’s nearly double their closest rivals the conservative CDU.

The Far Right's Rise: Is Germany at a Breaking Point? | To the Point

Sep 4, 2026 | Saxony-Anhalt faces a pivotal election. The AfD, led by top candidate Ulrich Siegmund, is polling strongly and could achieve a historic breakthrough. What would an AfD victory mean for the state, and what impact could it have on Germany as a whole?

On "To the Point", our guests discuss the rise of the AfD, the shifting political landscape, voter concerns, and the potential consequences of this election.

Germany’s Second Richest Man Died – What Happens to the Money? | DW News

When Klaus-Michael Kühne died without heirs, he left behind one of Europe's biggest fortunes. So where is that money going, and why might Germany see little of it?
Paul Jäger tells us more.

German Politician Wants to Hold Swingers’ Party in City Hall

THE TELEGRAPH: Country’s ‘craziest councillor’ seeks permit to host sex event at his local seat of government in Mannheim

Screenshot taken from this Telegraph article. | Julien Ferrat, the Mannheim city councillor and naturism fan, wants to throw a sex party at city hall Credit: Uwe Anspach/dpa/Alamy
There is a curious paradox inherent in Germany’s psyche.

It is a country renowned for its rules, order and bureaucracy – and also for its nudism and bacchanalian sex parties.

One politician in Mannheim has decided to fuse the id and the ego of the nation’s consciousness into one bizarre spectacle.

Julien Ferrat, the leader of the liberal Die Mannheimer (Citizens of Mannheim) party, has announced plans to throw a sex party at his local seat of government.

Mr Ferrat said he hoped the party would help turn the southwestern city into a “swingers’ paradise”. » | James Rothwell in Berlin | Sunday, August 23, 2026

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Why Germany Should Be Worried about This Far Right Extremist Group

August 7, 2026 | Germany is considering an extraordinary move: should it ban one of its most popular political parties?

The far-right AfD is surging in the polls despite being classified as a right-wing extremist organisation by Germany's domestic intelligence agency. As crucial state elections approach, the country faces a defining question: can a democracy stop extremism without undermining its own principles?

Produced by Federica De Caria.

Germany Makes Cannabis Legal - New Rules Explained

Here’s the low-down.

What the Berlin Pride Attack Reveals about Radicalization | DW News

July 31, 2026 | After the deadly attack against Berlin's CSD, former Salafist and Muslim queer activist Tugay Saraç explains how Islamist extremist groups recruit young people and how a Pride event becomes a target.

Berlin Pride Alleged Attacker Was Unwilling to Deradicalize, Expert Tells DW | DW News

July 29, 2026 | The alleged Berlin Pride killer showed no willingness to deradicalize, according to the organization that attempted to counsel him. DW spoke to Cornelia Lotthammer, director of the Violence Prevention Network, the court-appointed NGO handling the case of 21-year-old Abdul B. Days before he allegedly attacked Berlin’s LGBTQ+ parade, Lotthammer’s team had already decided he was unfit for counselling. She says a court could have decided to send him to deradicalization training in prison.

Abdul B., a German-born citizen, had been convicted for acts of extremism, including attempting to join the so-called Islamic State. In May 2026, a Berlin court sentenced him to almost two years in prison, but released him on preliminary probation. On July 25, he allegedly drove a van into a crowd near Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebrations and then attacked people with a blade, killing one person and injuring 29 others. A day later he was tracked down and shot dead by police.

DW’s Pablo Foley Elias spoke to Cornelia Lotthammer about Abdul B.’s case, the causes of extremism, and how it needs to be addressed.


These people get themselves into a hell of a mess with this because they don't understand the root of the problem: Islam! Forget Islamism! These so-called Islamists are in love with Islam and their prophet. A so-called "Islamist" is merely a devout, practising, fundamentalist Muslim following uncompromisingly the precepts and tenets of his faith. When will these people get it? How many more people will have to be killed before they give up on their airy-fairy notions? And of course, this person was unwilling to deradicalize, for to concede to deradicalization would be tantamount to giving up on his faith!

Germany is never going to be able to solve its problems of homophobia in the Muslim community with this 'artsy-fartsy' outlook and talk! Don't confuse and conjoin the radical problems found in other groups with the "Queerfeindlichkeit' found in the Muslim community, otherwise you will never find solutions to the problem. The radicalization caused by the so-called hyper-masculinity trend is something quite different, and has to be treated quite differently. — © Mark Alexander

Brit in Germany: The Question Germany Can’t Answer

July 26, 2026 | Germany has a word that keeps appearing whenever people talk about immigration, integration and national identity - Leitkultur.

In this video, I try to understand what the word actually means, why it is so difficult to define, and what it reveals about the bigger question Germany still seems to be struggling with.

Why Is Germany’s Far Right Winning Young Voters?

July 27, 2026 | In Germany the radical right is on the rise. The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has gone from the fringes to the second largest party in federal government. And it is expected to win more state elections this autumn.

So how did the AfD become so popular in a country that's worked so hard to distance itself from its fascist history? And could it be stopped?

Guest: Oliver Moody, Berlin correspondent, The Times and The Sunday Times. Host: Manveen Rana. Producers: Micaela Arneson, Olivia Case, Jesse Fox.

Is the AfD a Threat to Germany? Mehdi Hasan & Maximilian Krah | Head to Head

June 26, 2026 | Running on an anti-immigration, pro-deportation platform, the German far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) became the second-largest party in parliament last year and is polling first in 2026.

Critics see the AfD’s rise as a threat to Germany’s multicultural democracy and to the future of the European Union - accusations the AfD rejects.

Mainstream parties have so far kept it out of government by maintaining a "firewall" of non-cooperation, but will it hold?

Mehdi Hasan challenges Maximilian Krah, member of parliament for the AfD, on "Remigration", his views on Muslims, and whether the party should be considered extremist.

Joining the discussion:

Gerald Knaus - Chairman of Berlin-based European Stability Initiative
Deborah Feldman - American German writer and commentator
Ralph Schoellhammer - Head of the Center for Applied History and IR Theory, Mathias Corvinus Collegium

Surrogacy Dispute Forces Jens Spahn from Conservative Leadership Role | DW News

July 18, 2026 | A decision that clashes with CDU policy has prompted Jens Spahn to leave one of the most senior positions in Germany’s conservative camp.

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte : How Black Forest Cherry Cake Is Made | An Authentic German Recipe

July 18, 2026 | It’s considered the most famous cake in the world: the Black Forest cherry cake. It’s found all over the world, in all kinds of variations. But its real home is the Black Forest, in the south of Germany. So, what makes it the real deal? What about the cherry brandy? And did it even really originate in the Black Forest?

What Was the Nazi Party - and Was It Socialist?

The NSDAP, or the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, despite having the word „sozialistische” in its name, WAS NOT a SOCIALIST party!