BERLIN 

Germany’s far-right AfD party is on course for big gains in regional elections in the eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony, the latest polls showed on Friday.

Nearly 5 million Germans will cast their votes on Sunday in a closely-watched election, widely seen as a test for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his left-liberal coalition government.

A poll by Forsa research institute found that 30% of voters in Thuringia would give their vote to the anti-immigrant AfD party, making it the biggest party in the state parliament.

The center-right Christian Democrats (CDU) were expected to become the second largest party in this state, by winning 22% of the vote.

The newly formed left-wing populist party, Bundnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), was expected to reach 17%, and become the third-largest group in the state parliament.

Scholz fears heavy losses

Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democrat-led coalition was braced for heavy losses in Thuringia, amid growing voter discontent with the government’s Ukraine policy, costly energy reforms, and concerns about irregular migration.

Forsa poll put support for Social Democrats (SPD) at 7%, while the pro-environment Greens and their coalition partner the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) were below the 5% threshold, which was needed to win seats in the parliament.

A deadly stabbing attack in Solingen last week has further increased pressure on Chancellor Scholz’s coalition government, while the far-right AfD has seen a boost in popularity. The religious extremist who killed three people and injured eight others was a rejected asylum seeker, but his deportation was delayed, authorities have confirmed.

Scholz admitted legal and practical problems in deporting illegal migrants and criminal offenders, and promised that his government would undertake stronger efforts to address irregular migration. But he ruled out suspending asylum rights.

Close race in Saxony

In the neighboring state of Saxony, a neck-and-neck race was underway between the far-right AfD and the center-right CDU, with the latest polls showing that the Christian Democrats were leading by only a few points.

Friday’s poll by Forsa institute put support for conservative Christian Democrats at 33%, while the anti-immigrant AfD was at around 31%, better than its showing in the previous state election. Sahra Wagenknecht’s left-wing BSW party was expected to win up to 12% of votes.

Support for the SPD was at 7%, and the Greens were expected to win 6%, slightly above the five-percent threshold to enter the state parliament. The liberal FDP was polled below 3%.

'Moratorium on immigration'

After the attack in Solingen, the anti-immigrant AfD has called for a moratorium on immigration for at least 5 years.

Alice Weidel, co-chairwoman of the party, argued that all irregular migrants who do not possess a legal residence permit should be deported from Germany.

“The groups of people with the highest crime rates - primarily Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis who are staying in Germany illegally - must be deported,” she said in a statement.

Critics accuse the AfD of stirring up fear of terrorism for political gains, disseminating negative propaganda about immigrants, and encouraging xenophobia and anti-Muslim racism in the country.