Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that a victory for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in next week's election in Saxony-Anhalt would seriously damage the eastern German state. Merz expressed concerns about the implications for international investment if an AfD state premier were to take office. In the latest polls, the AfD leads with 40%, followed by Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at 23%, the Left Party at 13%, the Social Democrats (SPD) at 9%, and the Greens at 6%. Merz plans to campaign in Saxony-Anhalt to persuade undecided voters not to support the AfD.
High-ranking German politicians, including Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Baden-Württemberg's state premier Cem Özdemir, have called for proceedings to ban the most radical regional branches of the AfD. They argue that the party's ethno-nationalist factions should be subject to legal scrutiny. However, Green Party lawmaker Irene Mihalic cautioned against a selective ban, asserting that the entire AfD is at odds with democratic principles.
In other news, Germany retained its men's field hockey World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Spain, marking their fourth World Cup win. A Eurowings plane made an unscheduled landing in Paris due to steam detected in the galley, but no passengers were at risk. Additionally, three Germans are among those missing following a flash flood in the Himalayan region, with the death toll rising to 750. Former Chancellor Angela Merkel urged citizens to stand up for democracy ahead of the Saxony-Anhalt election, emphasizing that the AfD's rise is a nationwide issue.