Migrants in Eastern Germany Report Rising Hostility Amid AfD Gains

Germany’s state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin are testing Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) seeks further gains after its breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the AfD is challenging the governing Social Democrats, while Merz’s CDU faces pressure over falling approval ratings and stalled reforms. Migrants in the eastern state, including Syrian refugees who have built lives there, say anti-immigrant insults, harassment and demands to leave Germany have become more common as migration returns to the center of political debate. The AfD’s calls to restrict immigration and promote “remigration” have intensified fears among migrant communities, some of whom say they may leave if hostility continues. A YouGov poll found that 60% of German voters considered migrants’ safety concerns understandable, although support was sharply lower among AfD voters, underscoring the broader national divide over the party’s rise.