Germany’s political establishment has pushed through a controversial parliamentary reform in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt in a thinly veiled attempt to curb the rising influence of the right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party ahead of September’s state election.
The reform, approved with the required two-thirds majority, was backed by an alliance of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Greens, the liberal FDP, and the far-left Die Linke. The AfD’s 22 MPs were the only ones to vote against it.
Supporters of the changes say they are needed to protect the functioning of democratic institutions, but the real aim is to weaken the AfD, which is currently leading in the polls by a large margin.
Surveys suggest the AfD could win around 40% of the vote in September, well ahead of the CDU on about 25%. Smaller parties like the FDP and Greens may not even enter parliament.
Sonntagsfrage zur Landtagswahl in Sachsen-Anhalt • INSA/NIUS: AfD 38 % | CDU 25 % | DIE LINKE 13 % | SPD 6 % | BSW 5 % | GRÜNE 4 % | FDP 3 % | Sonstige 6 %
— Wahlrecht.de (@Wahlrecht_de) March 25, 2026
➤ Verlauf: https://t.co/lMOn56cNLK
🗓️ Landtagswahl: 6. September 2026 #ltwlsa #ltwst pic.twitter.com/Jtc0xDiNyL
The reform introduces several key changes, all of which are designed to aid establishment parties in case the AfD secures more than a third of all seats in the parliament and is able to block decisions that require a two-thirds majority.
According to the new rules, if the largest party cannot get its candidate elected as president of the state parliament, other parties can now join forces to choose someone else. Rules for appointing judges have also been changed, making it easier to avoid deadlock and reducing the blocking power of large minority groups.
Regional AfD politicians strongly criticised the reform. Co-leader Oliver Kirchner called it a “fraudulent” move driven by fear of the election result. Lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund said other parties are trying to make life harder for the AfD instead of debating policies.
Even some supporters of the reform have been unusually candid. SPD politician Falko Grube previously described it as an “act of political hygiene,” which shows the real intention behind the changes.
Other measures limit how many staff MPs can employ and restrict certain expenses, officially to prevent nepotism. Critics say these rules are also aimed at the AfD.
The reform may, however, prove to be a double-edged sword. Should the AfD exceed expectations and secure an outright majority and form a government on its own, it would inherit the very mechanisms designed to constrain it.
A similar debate is unfolding in the neighbouring state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, which heads to the polls just two weeks after Saxony-Anhalt. There, too, the AfD is expected to emerge as the strongest force, prompting the SPD, Die Linke, and the Greens to explore comparable rule changes.
However, unlike in Saxony-Anhalt, the CDU has so far failed to reach agreement with the other parties, leaving plans for a similar parliamentary reform stalled for now.
The message is clear: as the AfD continues to gain ground on a platform of sovereignty, migration control, and opposition to green and progressive policies, Germany’s mainstream parties appear increasingly willing to rewrite the rules of the game to hold on to power.