US EditionLawmakers in German state elect new governor amid political shifts
Sven Schulze, former economy minister, was elected to strengthen CDU ahead of September election where far-right AfD leads with 39% support, according to a recent poll.
- On January 28, 2026, the Saxony-Anhalt state legislature elected Sven Schulze as premier, replacing long-serving governor Reiner Haseloff.
- Reiner Haseloff announced this month he would step down early, and Schulze was designated last year as the CDU's candidate to prevent an AfD victory in September.
- Winning comfortably in the first round, Sven Schulze avoided run-off votes while the Christian Democratic Union, Social Democrats, and Free Democrats united behind him in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament.
- Poll numbers put Alternative for Germany well ahead of the Christian Democratic Union at 39% to 26%, raising stakes for the so-called 'firewall' strategy ahead of the September vote where AfD could win state control for the first time.
- Having capitalized on economic discontent, the Alternative for Germany presents broader challenges for mainstream parties, as opposition to migration remains its signature issue and incumbents like Reiner Haseloff have fended off AfD in recent years.
60 Articles
60 Articles
The 46-year-old replaces Reiner Haseloff as the new CDU Prime Minister - who wanted to give his successor an office bonus. Even from the ranks of the opposition comes tailwind.
der Standard AT
der Standard DESven Schulze (CDU) is the new Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt. He came into office earlier than planned to keep the AfD in check before the state elections
Sven Schulze is the new CDU Prime Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. The official bonus is supposed to help with the state elections in September. But it may already be too late.
Schulze is regarded as a good specialist politician, but not as a human catcher. Who is the man who wants to maintain his position in the September elections against the AfD?
The CDU country chairman Schulze is the new Prime Minister in Saxony-Anhalt. The former Minister of Economics was elected in the Magdeburger Landtag with 58 out of 97 votes. Who is the new head of government and why should the start for him not be easy? An overview.
Sven Schulze will become Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt in the first attempt. The office is to become a popular booster for the CDU politician. His hope: to beat the clearly leading AfD in the polls in the September elections. He does not rely on the moral club.
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