German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today asked that the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the east of the country, not be used as a testing ground in Sunday's regional elections. Merz specifically referred to "angry citizens" in his speech.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right party, is the favorite in these regional elections. The party has been gaining ground in the eastern region of Germany, where it has shown increasing results in recent years.
Saxony-Anhalt is one of the eastern federal states where the AfD has demonstrated the greatest electoral strength. Polls indicate that the party may obtain significant results in Sunday's vote.
Merz thus sought to appeal to voters not to use these elections as a way to express their political discontent, at a time when traditional parties face growing pressure from far-right forces in Germany.
