Far-Right Win in Eastern Germany Worries Migrants About Their Future

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, prompting anxiety among migrants about their future in the region. The result marks a significant political shift as the party campaigned on tighter immigration policies. Mamad Mohamad, a Syrian-born Yazidi Kurd set to enter the state parliament, called the outcome a "poisoned victory" as the AfD outperformed expectations while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives slumped. The AfD proposes deporting rejected asylum seekers and reducing skilled migration from "culturally alien" backgrounds, though it denies fueling hostility toward migrants. Migrant organizations report some community members have already left or plan to leave, while employers question locating in the state. However, advocates stress any government remains bound by Germany's constitutional protections for minorities, with other federal states able to intervene if needed.