Germany is in existential panic ahead of September’s regional elections as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) consolidates its lead in polls, with security forces bracing for mass protests and mainstream parties struggling to respond to the political earthquake unfolding across the country.

With the AfD topping surveys in Saxony-Anhalt and surging in Brandenburg, where a new poll shows the party at record highs, Germany’s ruling coalition is haemorrhaging credibility while municipal finances collapse, deepening public disillusionment. Police in Erfurt are preparing for what they describe as one of the largest demonstrations against the AfD in years, expecting more than 50,000 protesters—including up to 2,500 left-wing extremists—when the party holds its conference in the city . The scale of the anticipated unrest underscores the polarisation gripping Germany as the far right edges toward power.

The AfD’s rise coincides with Germany’s cities going broke, according to analysis by *The Economist*, which notes that financial distress in urban centres is eroding trust in traditional parties and boosting the far right’s electoral prospects . In Brandenburg, where the SPD-CDU coalition has failed to win public confidence after 100 days in office, the AfD has surged to record levels, according to a survey cited by *Der Tagesspiegel* .

Mainstream parties are scrambling to contain the threat. The Greens have signalled they will discuss an AfD ban with other parliamentary group leaders, while the Bundestag debates contentious issues like organ donation and border controls that have fuelled public anxiety . Meanwhile, Saxony-Anhalt’s state parliament has rejected AfD demands for the abolition of compulsory schooling and a pledge to promote “German national culture” as a condition for state funding .

Analysts warn that the AfD’s advance reflects deeper structural failures. “The mainstream parties are floundering, and the ruling coalition stumbles from one non-reform to another,” *Politico* writes, framing the crisis as existential for Germany’s political establishment . As the country grapples with municipal insolvency and a collapsing centre, the far right is poised to capitalise—with unpredictable consequences for German democracy.

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