Germany's far-right AfD bids for their first taste of power in eastern vote

German voters are heading to the polls in an election in Saxony- Anhalt, which could see the far- right AfD win power at a state level for the first time. The party sees the vote as a potential stepping stone to nationwide success.

Also in the programme: The top US envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are in Kyiv for their first talks in Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion; the political philosopher Francis Fukuyama worries about the future direction of American democracy; and we will hear from May el-Toukhy, one of the only two female directors competing at the Venice Film Festival about her film, premiering tonight.

(Phot0: The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund (R), and his wife, Julia Siegmund, cast their votes at a polling station in Tangermuende, Germany, 06 September 2026. Credit: EPA)