Ulrich Siegmund: AfD's likely first state premier in Saxony-Anhalt
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, led his party to victory in the September 2026 state election, potentially making him the first AfD state premier in Germany. The 35-year-old, born in Havelberg, trained as a merchant and studied business administration. He joined the CDU at 19 before switching to the AfD in 2014, becoming a state parliament member in 2016 and co-chair of the parliamentary group in 2022. The state's AfD branch is classified as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization. Siegmund's platform includes abolishing the right to asylum and cutting renewable energy subsidies. He has faced controversy over his attendance at a 2023 Potsdam meeting on mass deportations and nepotism allegations.