Fear of an AfD Victory Prompts Immigrants to Consider Leaving Saxony-Anhalt

Immigrant communities in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt are considering leaving, as next Sunday’s regional election could hand the far-right Alternative for Germany party a historic victory.

The AfD, which is known for its anti-immigration and anti-Islam positions, is seeking to secure a majority that would allow it to govern alone. Ulrich Siegmund, its candidate for state premier, has said he would immediately launch a deportation campaign. Although he claims that only people staying in Germany illegally would be targeted, the language used during the campaign has heightened anxiety and uncertainty among foreigners.

In Magdeburg, around 150 immigrant-owned or immigrant-run restaurants, kiosks and barbershops temporarily closed to protest the spread of a xenophobic climate. Among those facing the consequences of the situation is Syrian doctor Ayman Alyoussef, head of a cardiology service in Quedlinburg. He says that he and his family have faced hostility in the streets, even though his work has helped save patients.

Alyoussef warns that he may leave if hateful attitudes toward foreigners become even more widespread. Meanwhile, economists and employers say that deporting immigrants or prompting them to leave would further exacerbate the demographic crisis.

Since German reunification, Saxony-Anhalt has lost almost a quarter of its population. The consequences would be particularly severe for the healthcare system. The director of the clinic in Quedlinburg warned that the hospital would be forced to close without its doctors and nurses of foreign origin.