The Alternative for Germany (AfD) commands a clear lead four months before elections in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt that could potentially see the far-right, anti-immigrant party win an absolute majority in a regional parliament for the first time.
The AfD, whose regional chapter in Saxony-Anhalt is classified as an extremist organization by domestic intelligence, topped a poll on Thursday with 41%, up by 2 percentage points from last September and far ahead of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU) on 26%.
The Left party, which traditionally sees strong support in the former East Germany, is polling in third place at 12%, according to the survey by pollsters Infratest Dimap commissioned by a group of local outlets including public broadcaster MDR.
The Social Democrats (SPD), the junior coalition partner at national level, are languishing at 7%, while the Greens and the Free Democrats would fail to clear the 5% hurdle needed to take seats in the regional parliament.
The vote in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6 will be closely watched as it could mark the first time the AfD will get to lead a state government.
Should the party fail to receive an absolute majority, however, it is likely to be relegated to opposition again, as all other parties have ruled out cooperating with the far right.
September will also see two more states hold regional votes, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in the north-east, and Berlin, as a bumper election year in Germany draws to a close.
