The far right's state election win in Germany and Merz's response

Active · last development Sep 27: “Germany’s AfD is so extreme they are putting off other far-right parties”

What this arc covers

The Alternative for Germany's victory in the September 2026 state election in Saxony-Anhalt and its effect on Chancellor Friedrich Merz: the AfD's push to govern the state, Merz's accusation that the party pursues ethnic cleansing, and the debate over how he should respond.

Photo from KESQ Palm Springs, with Germany’s AfD is so extreme they are putting off other far-right parties (Sep 27), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Sep 4, 2026 · 6 stories · 47 independent sources (counted once each) · 23 days

Part ofAlternative for GermanyGermanyFriedrich MerzDonald TrumpRussia

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 27Germany’s AfD is so extreme they are putting off other far-right parties8 articles · 8 independent sources
0 left, 2 center, 0 right
Sep 18– 22How will Germany's Merz respond after crushing state election results and losses to the far right?101 articles · 43 independent sources
9 left, 24 center, 7 right
Sep 9Merz accuses AfD of ‘ethnic cleansing’ policy and cancels call with Trump5 articles · 5 independent sources
1 left, 1 center, 1 right

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Sep 7Sep 14Sep 21

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Sep 7, 202626215
Sep 14, 2026619244
Sep 21, 202679549

21% left · 62% center · 17% right of 47 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 6 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. September 2026

    Sep 4– 7AfD wants to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt — but how?6 articles · 2 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 0 right
  2. Sep 6Germany set to feel the impact of Saxony-Anhalt's AfD win2 articles · 1 independent sources
  3. Sep 7– 8Germany's Merz shocked by far-right state election triumph but doubles down on unpopular reforms11 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 5 center, 1 right
  4. Sep 9Merz accuses AfD of ‘ethnic cleansing’ policy and cancels call with Trump5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 1 center, 1 right
  5. Sep 18– 22How will Germany's Merz respond after crushing state election results and losses to the far right?101 articles · 43 independent sources
    9 left, 24 center, 7 right
  6. Sep 27Germany’s AfD is so extreme they are putting off other far-right parties8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 0 right