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German far-right AfD party wins first county leadership post

Runoff election in Sonneberg county sees Alternative for Germany's candidate, Robert Sesselmann, win against centre-right rival Jurgen Kopper.

AP

AfD members, Bjorn Hocke, left, Robert Sesselmann, centre, Stephan Brandner, 3rd from left and Tino Chrupalla are photographed at the AfD election party, in Sonneberg, Germany. / Photo: AP

The far-right Alternative for Germany party has seen its first head of a county administration elected in a rural eastern region, a win that comes as national polls show its support at record levels.

Sunday's runoff election in Sonneberg county saw Robert Sesselmann, Alternative for Germany's candidate, winning against centre-right rival Jurgen Kopper.

Sesselmann was also well ahead in the first round two weeks ago, winning by 52.8 percent to 47.2 percent.

Sonneberg has a relatively small population of 56,800, but the win is a symbolic milestone for Alternative for Germany, or AfD. The 10-year-old party has been polling between 18 percent and 20 percent in national surveys lately.

It has been riding high as centre-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition with the environmentalist Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats faces a strong headwind over high immigration, a plan to replace millions of home heating systems and a reputation for infighting, while inflation remains high.

Kopper's centre-right opposition Union bloc leads national polls, with lacklustre support ratings of just under 30 percent.

German intelligence warns of extremism surge as far-right party gains power

Campaigning against migration

AfD first entered the national parliament in 2017 after campaigning strongly against migration following an influx of refugees to Europe during the preceding years. Lately, it has come out against German support for Ukraine.

Despite being largely shunned by mainstream parties, it has established itself as a durable force, particularly in the formerly communist and less prosperous East.

An AfD candidate made it into last week's runoff mayoral election in Schwerin, the capital of the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but was easily defeated.

Sonneberg is located in Thuringia, one of three eastern regions that will hold state elections next year.

AfD has drifted to the right over the years and faces increasing scrutiny from Germany’s domestic intelligence agency.

Its regional branch in Thuringia is headed by a prominent figure on the party's hard right, Bjorn Hocke, who recently was charged by prosecutors over his alleged use in a 2021 speech of a slogan used by the Nazis’ SA stormtroopers.