Voters in the eastern German states of Thuringia and Saxony will head to the polls 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 have 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 . Strong showings by the AfD and another insurgent populist party , the self – described ” left – conservative ” newly launched Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance ( BSW ), could make cobbling together a functioning government difficult in either state . Another 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 g
o until nationwide parliamentary elections in September 2025 . Some polls have shown Scholz ‘ s 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 ‘ ve generally been lumped in with ” other ” in results . 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 . 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 . Forming a new government in Thuringia may be particularly difficult . Bod
o Ramelow of the hard – left Die Linke ( The Left ) has been leading a fragile minorty government . Ramelow remains personally popular with many voters in Thuringia , but Die Linke has fallen in the polls 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

Source: The Namibia News Agency