Voters in eastern German state have blown up post-unification politics

On Sunday, voters in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt blew up post-unification German politics. And on Monday the mangled wreckage will fall on political Berlin.Saxony-Anhalt is just a quarter the size of the island of Ireland, yet its 1.7 million voters – just 3 per cent of the total German electorate – have hit the reset button on politics in Europe’s largest country.It is 36 years since East Germany joined a unified country along West German lines, importing its laws, norms and political system.Since then power in Saxony-Anhalt was shared back and forth between centre-left Social Democratic Party and the centre-right Christian Democratic Union.READ MORENo more. Sunday’s results shatter old certainties without making clear the new political rules of engagement.In the first democratic election of 1990 these two parties pulled in 65 per cent of voter support. Now, together, they attract just 26 per cent in Saxony-Anhalt, almost 20 points behind the AfD or Alternative for Germany.It started life as an anti-bailout party but surged to popularity in the last decade after the refugee and asylum crisis.While one in two voters said on Sunday this remains of concern for them, it has been surpassed by cost-of-living concerns, with 70 per cent of voters worried they can no longer pay their bills and maintain their standard of living.As polls closed on Sunday evening, jubilant AfD leaders could be heard cheering behind the scenes on live German television. They are confident that Saxony-Anhalt is just the beginning.[ Far-right AfD wins key state election, throwing Germany’s politics into uncertain eraOpens in new window ]It is Germany’s most popular party at federal level, too, on 27-28 per cent support. And it hopes for further momentum from two further state elections later this month.AfD leaders in Berlin are confident this ongoing surge – and growing panic among its political rivals – will increase pressure on the infighting coalition of Friedrich Merz.And on Monday morning, Germany’s 70-year-old leader will go into full damage-limitation mode when he faces the press.He will point out how German state governments have power mostly over local issues – infrastructure, education and health – with no direct influence over issues like security and foreign policy.But his government is in the middle of far-reaching reforms and much of this policy – in particular tax and welfare reforms – require a stable Bundesrat majority.Many of these measures require the backing of both the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, and the Bundesrat, the upper house where the 16 federal states meet. An AfD-led – or politically instable – Saxony-Anhalt could slow down or even collapse reforms and, potentially, his coalition government.Next month Saxony-Anhalt steps up for the rotating presidency of the Bundesrat, with huge influence over the parliamentary agenda and voting schedule.Voters in Saxony-Anhalt have spoken, but the rest of Germany could soon feel the effects.