AfD Party Sees Major Gains in Lower Saxony Elections

The regional leader of the AfD party, which advocates for strict border control, declared that his faction emerged as “the clear winner of the evening” following significant losses by the centrist Christian Democrats and Social Democrats in Lower Saxony. These two parties posted their worst election results ever.

Initial results indicate that the Eurosceptic AfD, which promotes a sovereigntist agenda, saw its support triple in the recent elections aimed at selecting a multitude of directly-elected mayors and representatives.

Specifically, the AfD surged from a 4.6 percent showing in 2021 to an impressive 15.9 percent this time around. This third-place finish marks a considerable advancement for the party, particularly in a relatively affluent Western German state, traditionally distant from the party’s usual strongholds in the East. This shift raises questions about the stability of the governing coalition in Berlin, where even previously secure areas are now feeling the impact of the right-wing insurgency.

In contrast, all other major parties experienced declines. The Christian Democrats, who have dominated the political landscape for years, dropped nearly five points to 27 percent—still good enough for first place but marking their lowest performance in post-war history in Lower Saxony. The Social Democrats faced an even heavier loss, falling almost six points from their previous tally of 30 percent.

Responding to the election outcomes, the AfD’s regional leader emphasized that their narrative had gained traction, noting they were the only major entity to increase its support—tripling it in five years. He asserted that their party was indeed “the clear winner of the evening.”

Local chairman Ansgar Schledde mentioned that efforts to undermine the AfD through legal means, including investigations by the state’s political police and the disqualification of four candidates over supposed constitutional loyalty issues, seem to have inadvertently galvanized voter support for his party. He posited that the ban on candidates highlighted a public need for a “corrective” response against anti-democratic actions by state authorities.

This election result raises further concerns about Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s leadership, as both major parties reached historically low approval ratings. National AfD leader Alice Weidel suggested that the government’s current predicament makes a snap national election the most viable solution, allowing citizens to decide the direction of the country at a crucial time.

Weidel stated, “Given the coalition’s dismal state, new elections would be the cleanest solution from our perspective… The people must now decide who should lead the country out of this crisis.”

Additionally, it seems that Chancellor Merz’s own party members are hesitant to endorse his leadership. Lower Saxony’s regional leader, Sebastian Lechner, refrained from expressing support for the Chancellor, instead emphasizing attention on the imminent elections and suggesting a need for political change in Berlin.

Germany’s electoral processes continue this month, with Lower Saxony preparing for state parliament elections shortly, and more local elections set to occur in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin next weekend.