AfD’s Ulrich Siegmund eyes top job in Saxony‑Anhalt election

Alternative for Germany (AfD) is polling at more than 40 percent ahead of the state election on 6 September, a full 20 points ahead of the second‑placed Christian Democrats. The party’s lead candidate, 36‑year‑old Ulrich Siegmund, is positioned to become the first far‑right minister‑president of a German state since the Federal Republic was founded.

The significance of this surge goes beyond a single regional contest. Germany has long maintained a "firewall" that prevents extremist parties from entering government coalitions. If the AfD were to win outright, it would test that consensus and could reshape national politics, especially as the party is already classified as extremist in Saxony‑Anhalt.

Who is Ulrich Siegmund?

Siegmund grew up in Tangermünde, a small town in Saxony‑Anhalt. He left the Christian Democrats during the euro‑zone crisis and joined the AfD, winning a seat in the state parliament in 2016. His profile rose sharply during the Covid‑19 pandemic, when he served as the party’s health policy spokesman and built a large online following with videos that dismissed what he called pandemic "scaremongering".

The state broadcaster MDR describes him as a disciplined communicator who tightly controls his public image. On TikTok he reaches around 700 000 followers, often appearing friendly, shaking hands and using a conversational tone that contrasts with the party’s usual rhetoric.

His campaign events are professionally staged and amplified by a network of online influencers. Supporters frequently wear T‑shirts bearing his face and chant "Uli, Uli, Uli". However, his rise has not been without controversy. A recent Der Spiegel cover story called him "the most dangerous man in Germany".

Siegmund attended a 2023 meeting in Potsdam that attracted national attention for discussing "remigration" plans, later described as one of the biggest scandals in modern German politics. He also faced criticism for hiring a former activist from the Identitarian Movement, which advocates a culturally homogeneous state. Siegmund defended the hire by saying he does not conduct "ideological vetting".

Investigations have linked several of his close advisers to extremist groups. One adviser, Patrick Harr, previously held a leadership role in the Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, a neo‑Nazi youth organisation banned in 2009. Another, lawyer Laurens Nothdurft, was also a senior figure in that group.

What an AfD government could look like

The party’s 100‑day programme for Saxony‑Anhalt calls for immediate deportations, expansion of detention facilities and special classes for migrant children. It also proposes removing rainbow flags from schools, promoting German national symbols and creating a parliamentary committee to review Covid‑19 policies.

The street scene must change...Foreign restaurants must be put under pressure. Living in Saxony‑Anhalt should be as unattractive as possible for this clientele [foreigners].

These proposals signal a hard‑line approach to immigration and cultural issues that would mark a sharp departure from the policies of previous state governments.

What comes next?

The election on 6 September will determine whether the AfD can translate its polling lead into an outright majority. If Siegmund wins, he would become the first far‑right head of a German state, challenging the long‑standing political firewall and potentially emboldening the party in other regions. A defeat, however, could reinforce the existing consensus against extremist participation in government.

Regardless of the outcome, the campaign has already forced mainstream parties to address the AfD’s growing appeal, and it will shape the narrative around Germany’s immigration and security policies for months to come.