German minorities in Saxony-Anhalt defy far-right AfD after election win

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won nearly 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, marking its first such victory since World War II and prompting fear among migrants and minorities of increased hostility and discrimination. Minorities like Syrian-German citizen Alaa Yakoub Agha report rising racist abuse, while Yazidi Kurd and Green party candidate Mamad Mohamad says many migrants are considering leaving, though he urges defiance, insisting "Saxony-Anhalt is our home, too." The AfD's manifesto includes deportations, segregated classes for refugee children, and limits on Islamic expression. Opposition parties may still form a coalition to keep the AfD out of power, but the party's success reflects broader European far-right momentum. Saxony-Anhalt has a lower foreign-national share (7.9 percent) than the national average (14.9 percent), and Berlin's upcoming election on September 20 will test the AfD's reach in a more diverse city.