Germany’s far right eyes small eastern state as springboard to national power

Key Points:

• The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is poised for a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt, aiming to become the first far-right party to govern in Germany since World War II, with polls indicating they are close to an absolute majority in the state parliament.
• AfD leaders have developed a detailed strategy to implement radical changes while avoiding alienation of moderate citizens, including creating a “deportation task force,” revising school history curricula, and increasing funding for fire departments.
• The party plans to "restructure" the state civil service by appointing up to 200 loyalists, trained and pre-selected nationally, to key administrative positions to expedite their agenda, a move unprecedented in postwar Germany and criticized by mainstream parties as threatening civil service neutrality.
• Drawing on experience from Austria’s far-right Freedom Party, the AfD seeks to demonstrate effective governance to legitimize its policies and pave the way for national influence, despite anticipated legal challenges and opposition resistance.
• While aiming for swift policy implementation, AfD officials emphasize avoiding chaotic or violent confrontations seen in other countries, promoting a balance between radical change and stable governance to reduce societal tension.