Germany's Firewall Against the AfD: What Is the Brandmauer?

With regional elections in Saxony-Anhalt scheduled for September 6 and the AfD polling at over 40%, the concept of the Brandmauer has returned to the center of Germany's political debate. The Brandmauer refers to the informal rule adopted by Germany's mainstream parties: no coalition, cooperation, or vote in parliament that relies on AfD support.

It emerged from a CDU resolution in 2018 and was tested in February 2020 when Thuringia's Thomas Kemmerich was elected minister-president with AfD votes, triggering national outrage. It was tested again in January 2025 when a migration motion passed in the Bundestag with AfD support — the first time since World War II that a major bill passed with far-right votes.

In Saxony-Anhalt, incumbent Minister-President Reiner Haseloff of the CDU insists on maintaining the Brandmauer. Critics argue it is increasingly untenable as the AfD's vote share grows.