By Anadolu staff
BERLIN (AA) - The far-right AfD party won the most votes in five eastern German states in Sunday’s European elections, reflecting a growing political division in the country.
The anti-immigrant party won 31.8% of the vote in Saxony, 30.7% in Thuringia, 30.5% in Saxony-Anhalt, 28.3% in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and 27.5% in Brandenburg, according to preliminary official results.
Support for the AfD in the ex-communist East German states was significantly higher than its nationwide polling result of 15.9%. It was the anti-immigrant party’s best-ever result in a European Parliament election, making it the second party in Germany.
Exit polls showed that the majority of AfD voters were concerned about their economic welfare and were demanding stronger measures to stop irregular migration.
Some 95% of AfD voters said “so many foreigners were coming to Germany,” and 78% expressed their fear of “not being able to maintain their standard of living” in the future.
As many as 94% voiced concern that “the influence of Islam in Germany is becoming too strong.”
According to a representative poll by the public broadcaster ARD, 51% of those who voted for the AfD said they believe in the policies pursued by the party. Some 44% of the respondents said they voted for the AfD out of protest or disappointment with the other parties.
The AfD has been embroiled in a number of scandals in recent years, including a secret meeting of its senior officials to plan mass expulsion of immigrants, which have raised doubts about the party’s commitment to democratic values.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency has been monitoring the AfD’s youth wing and various branches due to suspected anti-democratic aspirations within the party.
In recent years, prominent members of the party have sparked controversy with their anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic remarks. Critics accuse the AfD of encouraging xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism in Germany.