Germany's AfD Surges Ahead of State Elections, Chancellor Warns of Danger

In early September 2026, as Germany's eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt prepared for a state election, the far-right party AfD was gaining ground in polls and had recently won its first mayoralty in the country. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at a campaign event, sharply criticized the AfD, saying, "We won't let these people talk our country into ruin," and called it "the most dangerous party within the EU." Meanwhile, the state's interior minister, a Social Democrat, warned that an AfD-led government could pose risks to critical infrastructure, such as power grids and water supplies.