Most Germans view the AfD as a threat to democracy

Most German citizens consider the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) a threat to democracy. According to a Politbarometer poll conducted for ZDF, 68% of respondents share this view, while 29% do not see it as a threat. In the eastern federal states, 42% of those surveyed do not consider the party a threat, compared to 26% in the western regions.

A survey by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen revealed the following breakdown of German public opinion regarding the activities of the far right and the government’s actions:

* 43% of respondents support a possible ban on the “AdN,” while 51% oppose such a move;
* 45% believe that other parties should, as a matter of principle, refuse to cooperate with the AfD, while 53% suggest deciding on a case-by-case basis;
* 59% of those surveyed view Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s reform program negatively, and only 30% believe it is headed in the right direction;
* 80% of respondents are convinced that the burden of government reforms is distributed unfairly, compared to 12% who consider it fair.

If parliamentary elections were held this coming Sunday, the AfD would retain its status as the strongest political force with 28% of the vote. The political preferences of German voters are distributed as follows:

* “Alternative for Germany” — 28%;
* Friedrich Merz’s conservative bloc — 21%;
* “The Greens” — 15%;
* Social Democratic Party — 13%;
* The Left — 12%;
* Free Democratic Party — 3%.

The survey was conducted from October 5 to 7, 2026, via telephone and online interviews with 1,311 voters.

This was reported by dpa.

The German Ministry of Defense is considering restricting the government of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt’s access to a classified contingency plan for war or other large-scale crises if the region is led by the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD).

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel commented on the election results in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) achieved significant success. The CDU representative called the situation in the country historically significant.