Germany elections: Far-right AfD eyes big gains in eastern states

Polling stations across the two German states are scheduled to open at 08:00 local time (06:00 GMT).

In Thuringia, the AfD is widely expected to emerge as the biggest party.

Meanwhile, the SPD – along with its Green and Liberal coalition partners – have been doing so badly in Thuringia, they may not even get a single seat in the state parliament.

The AfD is officially classed as right-wing extremist in Thuringia, while its highly controversial regional leader Björn Höcke was recently fined for using a Nazi slogan – though he denies doing so knowingly.

In Saxony, the AfD is vying for the first place with the CDU.

Last week’s knife attack in western Germany, in which a Syrian asylum seeker and suspected Islamist is accused of killing three people, has fuelled fierce criticism of how successive governments have handled migration.

Even if the AfD emerges as the biggest party in both states, it does not mean it will take power, as other political parties have publicly ruled out any collaboration with it to form a majority.

Still, the poll results will be seen as a litmus test ahead of Germany’s federal elections in 2025.