new poll in Saxony shows continuing surge by the right in Germany | Eastern NC Now

The German state of Saxony will hold its state elections next year, and a recent poll shows that the right, both populist and traditional is continuing to surge.  The poll, conducted for the major German newspaper Die Welt, shows the populist / nationalist anti-immigration Alternativ fur Deutschland (AfD) in the lead with 35%, and the traditional conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) second with 29%.  All other parties are in single digits, with 8% undecided.  The three parties of the national governing coalition had a combined total of 18% for all three parties together.

https://rmx.news/germany/afd-hits-35-in-saxony-double-that-of-all-federal-government-parties-combined/

In recent weeks, the CDU has been moving rightward, drawing closer to the AfD's positions on key issues, opposing mass migration and opposing green energy.  Their new, more right-oriented leader has also been removing Merkel holdovers from key positions in the party.

What is astounding is that in Imperial Germany and the Weimar Republic, Saxony was politically nicknamed "Red Saxony" for its propensity to vote for parties of the left.  That has clearly changed.

Meanwhile in the German state of Bavaria, the country's largest state, which votes later this year in its state election, polls are also showing the right winning handily.  The traditinonal conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), a national partner of the CDU but to the CDU's right, leading at 37%, with the AfD second at 18%, and the conservative Free Voters, to the right of the CSU, third at 13.5%.  One of the parties in the national coalition government is running well below the 5% threshold needed to win seats and the other two combined are at 23%.  A further 4% are undecided.