Germany’s anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany is on course for victory in the eastern state of Thuringia, according to an exit poll.
The AfD is set to win 30.5% of the vote, says the exit poll for public broadcaster ARD, six points ahead of the conservative CDU, and far in front of Germany’s three governing parties.
If confirmed, it would give the far right its first vote win in a state parliament since World War Two, although it is unlikely to be able to form a government in Thuringia.
Some five million Germans were eligible to vote in two state elections in the east on Sunday. The AfD is also close behind the conservative CDU in the election for a state parliament in Saxony.
The ARD exit poll gives the CDU 31.5% and the AfD 30% in Saxony, again far ahead of the three parties running the national government.
The AfD’s top candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, is a highly controversial figure in Germany.
His party has been designated as right-wing extremist and he has been fined for using a Nazi slogan, although the former history teacher denies knowingly doing so.
Immigration played a big part in Sunday’s election, but the AfD also wants to stop weapons supplies to Ukraine, as does the party heading for third place in both states, the BSW of former communist Sahra Wagenknecht.
“Politicians have promised a lot, particularly concerning migration and foreigners,” AfD voter Michael told the BBC in Thuringia’s state capital Erfurt.
“But nothing happened. Nothing. Just promises came from these parties. Now I have my party. And I stand with my decision.”
If the exit polls are confirmed, the AfD is on course to win 30 seats in the 88-seat state parliament in Thuringia, with only one of the three parties in the national government represented.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) is set to win just seven seats, with none for the Greens and liberal FDP.
In Saxony, the CDU is on course for 31.5% of the vote, only 1.5 points ahead of the AfD.
