A week and a half before the state election in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD has widened its lead over the CDU to 20 percentage points in a new poll. In the survey by the Infratest dimap institute for ARD, published in Cologne on Wednesday, the AfD, classified by the state office for the protection of the constitution as confirmed right-wing extremist — stands at 42 percent, one percentage point more than in a previous survey conducted at the end of July. The CDU, by contrast, loses two points and is currently placed at 22 percent.
Behind the AfD, with its lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund, and the CDU of Minister President Sven Schulze, the Left Party is at eleven percent, down two points on the July survey. The SPD is seen at eight percent, a gain of one point. The Greens reach six percent and likewise pick up a point. The BSW on four percent and the FDP on three percent would continue to fall short of entering the state parliament.
After the election next Sunday, the AfD is aiming to govern alone in Saxony-Anhalt and wants to install a Minister President in a German federal state for the first time. Whether it manages to do so also depends on how many parties enter the state parliament in total. Even if the AfD does not win an absolute majority of the votes, a majority of the seats would be conceivable for the party, provided several of the smaller parties fail at the five-percent threshold. The other parties rule out coalitions with the AfD.
On the question of which party should lead the next state government, the poll shows something close to a stalemate. Forty-two percent of respondents come out in favour of a government led by the AfD, and 41 percent for one led by the CDU. A CDU-led state government that would be kept in office by the Left Party for reasons of arithmetic is rated very good or good by 32 percent. Fifty-nine percent, on the other hand, would consider such a constellation less than good or outright bad.
In a direct comparison of the lead candidates, Minister President Schulze would take 41 percent in a hypothetical direct election, while 39 percent would opt for AfD challenger Siegmund. Thirty percent are satisfied or very satisfied with Schulze's political work. Thirty-seven percent describe themselves as satisfied with Siegmund's work.
Infratest dimap surveyed 1,511 eligible voters in Saxony-Anhalt on behalf of ARD. The survey was carried out on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
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