New polling in eastern Germany shows the Alternative for Germany widening its lead in Saxony, placing the anti-immigration party within reach of a potential governing majority ahead of future state elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany, known as AfD, has climbed to its strongest polling result ever recorded in the eastern German state of Saxony, according to newly released survey data that places the party far ahead of its political rivals and nearing the threshold required for outright control of the state parliament.
The survey, conducted by the Insa polling institute for the Nius outlet, measured AfD support in Saxony at 42%, marking a seven-point increase from the last comparable poll conducted in June 2025. The result places the party exactly twice as high as the center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU, which fell to 21%, the weakest polling level the party has posted in the state.
Under Saxony’s parliamentary system, analysts estimate AfD would likely require roughly 46% support to secure an outright majority without coalition partners.
AfD co-leader Alice Weidel reacted to the poll on X, writing: “The AfD in Saxony is now at 42% and twice as strong as the CDU! Whoever writes leftist screeds against the AfD and slanders volunteer work and large swaths of the population, instead of solving this country’s problems, shouldn’t be surprised by poll numbers like these.”
Neue INSA-Umfrage: Die AfD in Sachsen ist mit 42 % inzwischen doppelt so stark wie die CDU! Wer linke Kampfschriften gegen die AfD verfasst und das Ehrenamt und große Teile der Bevölkerung verunglimpft, statt die Probleme dieses Landes zu lösen, der muss sich über solche… pic.twitter.com/fk89zpvdze
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) May 21, 2026
The new figures represent a dramatic political reversal from the last Saxony state election held in September 2024. In that vote, the CDU narrowly finished ahead of AfD, winning 31.9% compared to AfD’s 30.6%.
The latest polling also follows a separate survey released last week showing AfD reaching 42% in neighboring Saxony-Anhalt, another eastern German state where voters are expected to head to the polls in September. The party has also continued to expand nationally, recently reaching 29% support in broader German polling.
Despite the surge, Germany’s major political parties have maintained their refusal to govern alongside AfD. The CDU and other parliamentary factions have repeatedly stated they will not enter coalition agreements with the party.
That stance could complicate future coalition negotiations if the current numbers hold. Based on the latest Saxony polling, the CDU would likely require support from every remaining parliamentary party to assemble a governing coalition without AfD participation.
The polling also indicated weakening support for left-wing parties across eastern Germany. Combined support for parties on the left reached 28% only when including the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, or BSW, which polled at 7%. BSW has drawn criticism from other left-wing parties over its anti-immigration positions and pro-Russian policy stances.
Additional survey data suggested AfD may still have room to expand its voter base. According to the poll, 49% of respondents said they had either already voted for AfD or could imagine supporting the party in the future. By comparison, only 39% said they would categorically reject voting for AfD.
The CDU, meanwhile, showed weaker voter openness, with just 36% saying they could envision supporting the party.
Public dissatisfaction with the current government also remained elevated in the survey. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the governing coalition, while 58% said they were dissatisfied.
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