Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Maduro: I call on the Jews to stop the war madness practiced by the Zionist regime led by Netanyahu
Maduro: Every day, 100 people are killed in Palestine, and the West is watching and is complicit
Iran's representative to the United Nations, in a letter to Guterres and the Security Council: The threat of America and the Zionist entity to assassinate the Supreme Leader is state terrorism.
Washington to the Security Council: The goal was to destroy Iran's uranium enrichment capacity and prevent the threat of Tehran obtaining and using a nuclear weapon
Lebanese Health Ministry: 1 woman martyred, 11 wounded in Israeli strike on residential apartment in Nabatieh, South Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Four civilians injured in Israeli strike that targeted house in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, South Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes launch strikes on regions of al-Mahmoudiyah, al-Khardali
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli aircraft execute series of strikes in Kfar Tibnit, South Lebanon.
Iranian ambassador in Beijing to Al Mayadeen: We hope that Europe and the US give up their illegal actions and authoritarian hegemony.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli shelling targets displaced persons' tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, casualties were reported

Germany’s AfD party wins historic victory in local elections

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 26 Jun 2023 13:00
3 Min Read

Alternative for Germany candidate Robert Sesselmann makes landmark win in Sonnenberg, Thuringia, making it the first district to be the first to be run by the AfD party.

  • x
  • Robert Sesselmann of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Sonneberg, eastern Germany, June 25, 2023. (AFP)
    Robert Sesselmann of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Sonneberg, eastern Germany, June 25, 2023 (AFP)

In Sonneberg, Thuringia, Robert Sesselmann made the central state the first to be run by the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after he came on top in a runoff vote for district administrator.

Located near the border of Bavaria, the district became a landmark according to AfD co-chief Alice Weidel who wrote on Twitter that "Robert Sesselmann has made history."

Sesselmann managed to acquire 52.8% of the votes, reported the electoral office, despite the continued appeals to voters, by mainstream parties, to reaffirm their support for CDU incumbent candidate Joergen Koepper.

#Sonneberg hat sein blaues Wunder erlebt: Robert #Sesselmann ist der erste #AfD-Landrat Deutschlands. Wir gratulieren herzlich und bedanken uns bei allen Unterstützern und Wählern - sie alle haben heute Geschichte geschrieben! pic.twitter.com/ue5j5gf6u1

— AfD (@AfD) June 25, 2023

The win came at a time when recent polls indicated that support for the AfD has reached a record of 18 to 20%, matching the support for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats and lagging behind the conservative CDU/CSU bloc, only.

In Thuringia, Brandenburg, and Saxony, the former communist states of East Germany, the AfD has been faring even better. These states will hold regional elections next year, and the AfD intends to make significant gains there.

The Interior Minister of Georg Maier, affiliated with the Social Democratic Party of Germany, considered the outcome of the most recent election in Sonneberg "an alarm bell for all democratic forces," as reported by German news outlet Bild.

Poll shows increased support for Germany's AfD

Earlier, at the end of May, a poll published by the Bild revealed that support for the AfD party has increased its popular base to a five-year high amid growing distrust towards the Greens. 

The survey, conducted by INSA from May 22-26, showed that AfD earned 1% to poll at 18%, whilst the Greens lost 1% to 13% - their lowest rate in five years. 

The poll also revealed that the number of respondents who said they would never vote for AfD decreased from 60% in December to 53.9% in May. 

"The number of eligible voters who are categorically opposed to AfD has decreased markedly. The social climate has changed in AfD’s favor," Insa head Hermann Binkert said.  

The Green party in Germany is one of three making up the coalition of Social Democrat Olaf Scholz.

Since Germany's economy minister Robert Habeck, who also happens to be a Green party delegate, has been accused of cronyism, the party has faced serious challenges to its reputation.

Other relevant results from the poll revealed that the opposition conservative bloc, the CDU/CSU, scored with 28% of eligible voters' support, followed by Social Democrats with 20% and 9% for the Free Democrats.

Read more: German economy unlikely to improve in the short-term: Experts

  • Sonnenberg
  • Germany
  • Robert Sesselmann
  • Alternative for Germany party (AfD)

Most Read

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a protest following the US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

Iran declares victory as ceasefire forces Israeli retreat

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches strikes on Israeli targets, despite alleged ceasefire

Iran victorious as ceasefire with 'Israel' takes effect

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Iranian worshippers carry their country's flags in a protest to condemn Israeli attacks on multiple cities across Iran, after the Friday prayers ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP)

Iran warns of NPT withdrawal, Strait of Hormuz closure after US attack

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli occupation soldiers search for settlers amid the rubble of buildings destroyed by an Iranian missile strike in Bat Yam, central occupied Palestine, on Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran missile strike flattens Bat Yam, displaces 2,000 settlers

Palestinian fighters from the Islamic Jihad militant group riding on a truck with weaponry on display take part in an anti-Israel parade marking the 36th anniversary of the movement's founding, in Gaza City, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian Resistance attacks Israeli forces in Khan Younis, Jabalia

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stands waiting to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin for the talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran suspends IAEA cooperation, Araghchi blames Grossi for attacks

The commander of the Quds Force's Palestine Unit, Brigadier General Mohammad Said Izadi (Illustrated by Mahdi Rtail for Al Mayadeen English)
Politics

Who was Mohammad Said Izadi, head of the Quds Force's Palestine Unit?

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS