President Donald Trump praised the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on September 8, 2026, following its significant victory in a regional election. He attributed the party's success to voter dissatisfaction with immigration policies. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "Wow! The Populist Party in Germany just had a really big night. They finally got tired of the absolutely horrible Immigration rules and regulations which have hurt Germany so badly. THEY ARE ON THE RISE, and not going to take it anymore!" He concluded the post with the phrase "MGGA," a variation of his campaign slogan.
The AfD secured nearly a majority of the votes in Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its support from the previous state election five years prior. This marked the party's first victory in a German state election and its strongest electoral performance to date. The AfD finished ahead of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, which received 17.2% of the vote after governing the state since 2002.
Despite its victory, the AfD did not achieve the majority required to govern independently, winning 39 out of 83 seats in the state legislature. The results have raised concerns regarding Germany's political landscape, as mainstream parties have historically avoided coalitions with the AfD. Merz expressed his shock at the results and reiterated that the CDU would not cooperate with the AfD.
The AfD has focused its campaign on immigration issues and advocates for closer ties with Russia, opposing Germany's military support for Ukraine. The party's chapter in Saxony-Anhalt has been classified as a right-wing extremist organization by the state's intelligence agency, a designation the AfD contests as politically motivated. The party has seen increasing support nationally, having achieved its best performance in the 2025 federal election, becoming the largest opposition party in Germany's parliament, particularly in the eastern states that were formerly part of East Germany.