AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt victory casts shadow over immigrant lawmakers’ election milestone

Berlin, Germany. Greens candidate Mamad Mohamad said his expected election to the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament was overshadowed by the far-right Alternative for Germany’s historic victory in the eastern German state.

Mohamad, a 46-year-old Yazidi Kurd from Syria, is set to become one of the first lawmakers with an immigrant background in the state parliament, alongside Mustafa Groener of the Left party.

Mixed emotions after projections

Mohamad watched the initial election projections on Sunday evening with mixed emotions as the AfD performed above expectations and Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s governing conservatives fell to a historic low.

“My heart was split,” Mohamad said. He described the milestone of entering parliament as a “poisoned victory”.

Mohamad arrived in Germany in 1996 at the age of 16.

AfD immigration policies

The AfD has campaigned for tighter immigration and asylum policies, saying Germany has lost control of its borders and that migration is placing pressure on public services, security and social cohesion.

Its election manifesto says an AfD-led Saxony-Anhalt would launch a state-level campaign to deport rejected asylum seekers.

The party also proposes encouraging businesses to use artificial intelligence and automation rather than rely on skilled migration from what it calls “culturally alien” backgrounds.

Party response

The AfD rejects accusations that its rhetoric contributes to a hostile climate for migrants, saying it opposes only illegal and uncontrolled migration.

“Everyone is warmly welcome who contributes positively to our society, who wants to work here, who is qualified, who pays taxes, and who abides by the law,” AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said on Monday.

Mohamad said the mood in his family was sombre on Monday.