Overview

• The Sachsen-Anhalt Landtag has officially scheduled the next state election for September 6, 2026, allowing parties to prepare over the next 18 months.
• The CDU plans to finalize its lead candidate in October 2025, with current Ministerpräsident Reiner Haseloff yet to announce if he will seek another term.
• Reiner Haseloff, in office since 2011 and Germany’s longest-serving Ministerpräsident, has stated that his decision will be made a year before the election.
• The AfD is signaling Co-Fraktionschef Ulrich Siegmund as its likely Spitzenkandidat, pending a formal confirmation at a party congress in May 2026.
• The SPD may nominate Science Minister Armin Willingmann as its lead candidate, with internal discussions ongoing to finalize their strategy.