Voters in the eastern German states of Thuringia and Saxony are casting their ballots on Sunday in state parliamentary elections that could upend the balance of power in both states and reverberate nationwide . Polls ahead of Sunday ‘ s election had put the far – right Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) in the clear lead in Thuringia and narrowly trailing the centre – right Christian Democrats ( CDU ) in Saxony . The election results will decide the balance of power in the state parliaments in Thuringia and Saxony , which each hold considerable power over regional matters . Polls are set to close at 6 pm ( 1600 GMT ). Turnout in Sunday ‘ s elections has been running ahead of participation in the previous state parliamentary elections , held in 2019 . In the late afternoon , elections officials in Thuringia reported that 55 % of eligible voters had cast ballots , while 35 % of voters in Saxony had done so . Postal ballots , which are also expected to be up this year compared to 2019 , are not included in tho
se figures . Both states are in the former communist East Germany , where politics and voting patterns remain distinct more than three decades after reunification , and where outmigration and a lagging economy has helped fuel resentment . Saxony and Thuringia are relatively small – together , the states account for only about 7 % of Germany ‘ s population – but the surging popularity of extremists in the AfD there has drawn widespread attention across the country . Fiery far – right challenge draws headlines The leader of the AfD ‘ s state organization in Thuringia , the firebrand Bj ö rn H ö cke , has become a household name in the country because of his fiery attacks on immigration policy and his extremist rhetoric . He was twice convicted this year of knowingly quoting a banned Nazi slogan in speeches . Domestic intelligence agencies have labelled the AfD ‘ s state – level chapters in both Thuringia and Saxony as known far – right extremist groups , and H ö cke as an extremist . A breakthrough showing by
the AfD would stun the country , but is unlikely to bring the radical right – wing party to power in either state . No other political party outside of the extremist fringes has expressed any willingness to even consider working with the AfD . Tough coalition talks ? But the expected strong showings by the AfD could make cobbling together a functioning government difficult in either state . Another insurgent populist party , the self – described ” left – conservative ” newly launched Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance ( BSW ), has also been polling well . A miserable election for the three parties in German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ‘ s national coalition government , meanwhile , could further fuel bitter infighting among ministers with a year to go until nationwide parliamentary elections in September 2025 . Some polls have shown Scholz ‘ s centre – left Social Democrats ( SPD ) and main partner , the Greens , close to the 5 % threshold needed to take seats in German elections . The free – market liberal Free Democrats
( FDP ), meanwhile , have polled so poorly in the two eastern states that they have generally been lumped in with ” other ” in results . In Saxony , incumbent state Premier Michael Kretschmer ‘ s CDU have held a narrow lead in most polls . Kretschmer hopes to have the first crack at remaining in office at the head of a new government , though the results may require his CDU to consider some unexpected allies . Kretschmer expressed confidence when casting his vote on Sunday morning in Dresden , the state capital : ” We are here in Saxony , we will not be meddled with . We are going our own Saxon way .” The top SPD candidate , Petra K ö pping , was less confident , saying she has a ” queasy feeling . Now the voters have to decide .” In Thuringia , forming a new government may be particularly difficult . Bodo Ramelow of the hard – left Die Linke ( The Left ) has been leading a fragile minority government . Ramelow remains personally popular with many voters in Thuringia , but Die Linke has fallen in the pol
ls after Wagenknecht bolted the party to form the BSW . The split , combined with increased support for the AfD , has further fractured politics in the state . dpa bst era wjh cro era

Source: The Namibia News Agency