Germany elections: Far-right AfD eyes big gains in eastern states

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party is expected to perform strongly in Saxony and Thuringia.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersFar-right AfD eyes big gains in German electionsGetty ImagesVoters in Germany's two eastern states are due to cast their ballots in elections in which the far right is expected to perform strongly.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been polling top in Thuringia ahead of Sunday's vote, while the party has been running neck-and-neck for first place with the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Saxony.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) and its coalition partners have been struggling in recent polls.

On Saturday, thousands of protesters rallied in Thuringia's regional capital, Erfurt, denouncing the anti-immigrant AfD as fascists. The AfD says Germany needs to expel illegal migrants.

Polling stations across the two German states are scheduled to open at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1jl7e0769ro

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