The AfD secured a clear plurality with 43.8% and 39 seats in the September 6, 2026, Sachsen-Anhalt Landtag election but fell short of an absolute majority, while the CDU suffered heavy losses to 17.2%. Other parties maintain a firewall against cooperation with the AfD, leaving no immediate path to a stable coalition or minister-president majority for AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund. The BSW's five seats position it as a potential swing factor through abstention in later voting rounds. An interim CDU-led administration continues under Sven Schulze. The next minister-president election is scheduled for December 2026, with procedural rules allowing a simple majority in the third round and recent precedent of cross-party support in secret ballots for the Landtag presidency. Negotiations and possible individual defections remain key variables.