Anti-immigration party AfD surges in polls for 2026 German state elections | Eastern NC Now

Like most European countries, local and state elections in Germany are staggered, with elections in five German states coming at various times this year, two in eastern Germany, two in western Germany, and the national capital of Berlin, which is a state as well as a city.  Polls in all five show the populist nationalist anti-immigration Alternativ fur Deutschland (AfD) surging and poised to make major gains.  It is within range of winning control of both of the eastern states.

This comes as national polls continue to show the AfD as the most popular party nationally, and AfD leader Alice Weidel as the most popular party leader.  They also show growing disenchantment with the "grand coalition" natioinal government combining the center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) and its more conservative Bavarian sister party, the CSU, with the center-left Social Democrats.

The AfD takes a very hard line on illegal immigration, calling for mass deportation. It also rejects the EU climate policy, with the party calling for removal of all wind turbines in the country.  CDU Chancellor Merz promised a harder line on immigration in the last national  election campaign but has failed to deliver it. largely because of being hamstrung by his chosen coalition partner.

In the eastern German states of Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the AfD is running at 38-40%, which in the multi-party system could possibly give them governing majorities depending on which smaller parties do not pass the threshold to win seats. It would certainly make them the largest parties in the state legislative bodies.

In the two western states, polls show the AfD making major gains.  In Baden-Wurttemberg, polls show AfD more than doubling its vote from the last election to 21%, while in Rheinland-Pfalz, it would almost triple its vote to 23%.  Even in the ultra-liberal capital of Berlin, polls show the AfD winning 16%, up from 9% in the last election.

The elections begin with Baden-Wurttemberg on March 8.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news/german-elections-2026-coalition-faces-tough-test-amid-afd-surge/

Meanwhile in Bavaria, which does not vote this year and is governed by the CDU's more conservative partner party, the CSU, a party that only operates in Bavaria where the CDU does not run candidates, that party is signalling a harder line on illegal immigration.  Its delegation in the national parliament has put forward for adoption by the party of a declaration calling for mass deportation of Syrians and Afghans this year.

https://europeanconservative.com/articles/news-corner/germanys-csu-calls-for-mass-deportations-of-syrians-in-2026/