Pro-Putin far-right and far-left expected to win in today's elections in eastern areas of Germany

DW reported the information.

Polls opened at 8:00 a.m. local time and will close at 6:00 p.m. In Saxony, 3.2 million people are eligible to vote, in Thuringia - 1.7 million.

According to the latest opinion polls, the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading in both states. Its success is attributed to the growing dissatisfaction of the population with the ruling coalition's policies and economic problems.

Good results are also expected from the left-wing populists from the new party Bündnis Sahra Wagenknech (BSW).

Like the AfD, the BSW is in favor of sharply limiting migration, cutting aid to Ukraine, and improving relations with Russia.

The parties of the ruling coalition, including the Free Democratic Party and the Union-90/Greens, are losing support. There is a risk that they will not get into the Landtags at all.

However, despite its possible success, the AfD has no potential coalition partners in either state. Both local branches of the party are classified as right-wing extremist, which makes it difficult to form coalitions.

Who is the leader of Alternative for Germany, Björn Höcke?

Björn Höcke is the leader of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Thuringia. Born and raised in western Germany, he is a history and sports teacher by profession. He joined the AfD in 2013 and established the party's Thuringian branch.

He is known for his far-right views. He has expressed frustration with German culture of remembrance, calling the Holocaust Memorial a “monument of shame.” He also argued that “the big problem is that Hitler is presented as absolute evil.”

Höcke repeatedly used the banned Nazi slogan Alles für Deutschland (“Everything for Germany”). His statements about Hitler were widely condemned, and the court recognized them as fascist.

In addition, the politician was involved in a number of internal conflicts within the AfD.

Currently, Höcke is leading the polls, making him the first far-right politician to win elections in Germany since World War II.

However, even if the AfD wins the most votes in Thuringia, Höcke will face huge obstacles on his way to becoming the state's prime minister, as no other party has expressed a desire to join a coalition with the AfD.