Saxony is Germany’s most troublesome state. For the past four years, this former part of the communist east has been hit by riots, weekly protests and been a symbol of the stubborn economic gulf between the country’s east and west.
Now, a state election in the region on Sunday brings a fresh challenge for Angela Merkel, where her CDU party has spent the campaign jostling with the far-right AfD for the top position in the polls. Although the AfD have now fallen a few percentage points behind Merkel’s party, they are a real threat to the CDU, who have governed the region for 30 years.
As this year’s European election campaign segued into preparations for Sunday’s vote, a sweltering summer has been strained by the spectre of violence in the state. In June a CDU politician and refugee advocate, Walter Lübcke, was murdered in the region of Hesse. Lübcke was found in his garden, shot in the head. In
Get Britain's best politics newsletters
Register to get The Spectator's insight and opinion straight to your inbox. You can then read two free articles each week.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in