Ulrich Siegmund: From CDU member to AfD lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt

Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, aims to become minister-president in the 2026 state election, which would make him Germany's first AfD head of a state government. The 35-year-old, who joined the AfD in 2014 after leaving the CDU, has built a large social media following and is known for his friendly public image. He advocates for stricter migration policies and deportations, and has faced controversy over his attendance at a meeting with a right-wing extremist. Siegmund previously worked in scent marketing and founded a fragrance company before entering politics. His party's Saxony-Anhalt branch has been classified as a "proven right-wing extremist endeavour" by the state's domestic intelligence agency, though the AfD is legally challenging that designation.