In Saxony-Anhalt, AfD's breakthrough fueled by persistent economic difficulties
According to France 24, the German state of Saxony-Anhalt faces an aging population, relative poverty and declining GDP, conditions that appear to be driving the AfD's electoral gains.
Saxony-Anhalt, a state located in eastern Germany, presents specific socioeconomic characteristics that, according to France 24, help explain the electoral breakthrough of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in this region.
According to the media, the state's population is relatively elderly and rural, and has experienced a persistent sense of decline since German reunification. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita remains below the national average, while the unemployment rate exceeds that seen in the rest of the country.
France 24 also notes that the deindustrialization that began in the 1990s has intensified due to competition from Chinese products and a weakening of German domestic demand.
These difficulties are reflected, according to data cited by the media, in a regional GDP contraction of 0.2% in 2025, while the rest of Germany recorded growth of 0.2% during the same period.
France 24 draws a connection between this deteriorating economic context and the AfD's gains in this state, though it does not detail in the cited excerpt the precise election results or the exact mechanisms underlying this link.
Sources
- En Saxe-Anhalt, la victoire de l’Afd s’appuie sur une économie à la peine — France 24 — Français
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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