MAGDEBURG, Germany, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Saxony-Anhalt, a relatively small eastern German state with just over 2 million residents, rarely attracts global attention. But on Sunday, its capital Magdeburg became the center of a political storm after the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic state election, securing around 44 percent of the vote.
The result marked an unprecedented setback for the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and put the AfD in a position to install its first-ever state governor.
The political divide was already visible on the streets of Magdeburg during the election weekend.
On Saturday afternoon, thousands of people gathered at Magdeburg's Domplatz under banners defending pluralism and democracy. Music filled the square, but the mood among many participants was one of quiet concern.
"If the cultural landscape here suffocates, I'll pack my bags," said Anja, an artist who traveled from nearby Leipzig.
She feared that an AfD-led administration could cut public funding for the arts and restrict space for independent expression.
Nearby, Matea, a local physical therapist, acknowledged the widespread frustration that has fueled support for the AfD, saying that she was deeply dissatisfied with the policies of the federal government. "Still, handing power to the AfD will only make things worse," she said.
Less than 2 km away, outside the AMO Kulturhaus, police vans formed a security perimeter around a sharply different scene.
The AfD's final campaign rally before the election drew a packed crowd, with some supporters standing outside on the pavement.
They applauded and chanted in support of the party's 35-year-old lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, whom they described as "a good fellow."
Bastian, 40, traveled across the country from North Rhine-Westphalia to attend the rally. The employee of an automotive parts supplier sees eastern Germany as the forefront of a broader national backlash.
"I look at the young apprentices at our plant and wonder whether their jobs will still exist in five years," he said. He cited economic stagnation and uncontrolled immigration as reasons why he wants to "bring back the old Germany."
By Sunday, these competing anxieties had converged quietly at polling stations.
Outside a downtown polling station, Lieas, a 20-year-old student of Syrian descent, was heading to cast his ballot for the Greens, hoping to help smaller parties cross the 5-percent electoral threshold and prevent the AfD from securing an outright majority.
"We have to vote strategically," he said, describing the election as "extremely important."
Lieas said his younger brother is preparing to move to Germany for university, and he had given him clear advice: avoid Saxony-Anhalt and consider other parts of the country.
"The atmosphere here is changing, and it is very worrying," he said. Enditem
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