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Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a record 44% in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, leaving a small party with seats that could determine whether it can lead the nation's first far-right state government since World War II.

Why it matters: Germany rebuilt its democracy after Nazi rule with unusually strong safeguards against extremism. AfD's breakthrough shows those barriers aren't stopping Europe's far right from becoming dominant electoral forces.

The latest: AfD more than doubled its 20.8% share in 2021, hitting its highest vote share ever in a state election and finishing ahead of the center-right CDU at 17%.

BSW, the party that hasn't ruled out working with the AfD, barely cleared the 5% threshold parties need for parliamentary representation.

Together, AfD and BSW would hold 43 seats, one more than a majority.

BSW, a populist party, combines far-left economics with far-right migration policies and calls for closer ties to Russia.  

Yes, but: The arithmetic may not be enough.

BSW co-chair Amira Mohamed Ali said Sunday the party would neither vote for AfD's Ulrich Siegmund nor CDU Premier Sven Schulze. Instead, she wants a nonpartisan premier who would govern with BSW and AfD.

This would require support from AfD, but Siegmund rejected the idea.

Siegmund suggested Sunday he may persuade some lawmakers to switch parties to help him secure a majority.

Catch up quick: AfD has won the most votes once before, in 2024, but it has never governed.

In 2024, it finished first in Thuringia, marking the first far-right victory since World War II, but other parties kept it out of government. Sunday's result is AfD's strongest.

Flashback: Trump allies' support for the far-right party became a transatlantic flashpoint during Germany's 2025 federal election.

Elon Musk boosted the AfD on X, saying "only the AfD can save Germany," and he appeared by video at an AfD campaign rally.

Vice President JD Vance met with AfD's leader just before that election and told the Munich Security Conference there was "no room for firewalls," a reference to mainstream parties' stance against governing with the AfD.

Between the lines: Saxony-Anhalt's intelligence service has classified the state AfD as a right-wing extremist organization.

Siegmund, AfD's 35-year-old candidate for Saxony-Anhalt's premier, has drawn scrutiny over his treatment of Germany's Nazi past.

At AfD events, an emcee has shouted "Sieg!" and supporters answered "Mund!" — splitting his surname into a call-and-response that the head of Germany's Central Council of Jews says evokes Nazi chants.

Siegmund declined to call the Holocaust humanity's worst crime, saying he would not presume to rank all crimes.

The big picture: Europe's far right is moving in sharply different directions.

Hungary's Viktor Orbán lost power after 16 years this spring, yet Italy's Giorgia Meloni leads the country's longest-serving uninterrupted postwar government.

In France, far-right National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is the early front-runner for the 2027 presidential election.

Context: Germany's postwar system was built in the shadow of the Nazis' destruction of the democratic Weimar Republic.

The 1949 Basic Law embraces the concept of a "militant democracy" to defend against movements that seek to abolish the constitutional order.

What's inside: The AfD laid out a program for how it would use state power:

Rewrite the mandate of the state intelligence service that investigated the party.

Allow homeschooling, give the government greater control over which textbooks schools can use and end its public broadcasting agreement with neighboring states.

Require state-funded organizations to demonstrate a "patriotic basic attitude."

What we're watching: German officials, including the defense minister, have floated limiting intelligence sharing over concerns about AfD's ties to Russia.

Far-right win in state election tests Germany's political firewall

One small party could decide whether AfD governs.

Ulrich Siegmund speaks to reporters in Magdeburg after Saxony-Anhalt’s state election.

Ulrich Siegmund speaks to reporters after exit polls showed the AfD leading Saxony-Anhalt's state election. Photo: Jan Woitas/dpa via Getty Images

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2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

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Dozens of Latino lawmakers and leaders are pressuring Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association, to invest $10 million in the Texas governor's race, according to a letter to Beshear that Axios obtained.

Texas state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, who polls suggest is running a strong challenge to Gov. Greg Abbott (R), is trying to become Texas' first Latino governor. Beshear must decide soon how to invest the DGA's cash in the 36 states with governor's races in November.

Why it matters: Beshear is considering a presidential run in 2028. Latino voters are critical in the early primary states of Nevada and New Mexico, and are a key swing vote in general elections.

Beshear's decision on where to spend tens of millions in DGA money this fall is an early test of his political instincts — and whether he can carry out an effective campaign strategy without making enemies that could cost him in a 2028 primary. 

Zoom in: The signees of the letter — which include Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a potential rival of Beshear's in the presidential primary — wrote that "not investing in Texas would not only send a message to Latino voters in 2026, but it sends a message to Latino voters heading into 2028."

"No other candidate in recent history has come this close to winning the Governor's Mansion in Texas, and we are proud that it is now a Latina that made this a close race, but unfortunately, she has done so without real investment from DGA," the letter says of Hinojosa.

There are 36 state governors' races this fall, including several in 2028 swing states such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada and Georgia. And then there's Texas, where a Democrat hasn't won a statewide race in three decades.

It's unclear how much money the DGA has for the November elections, but in the last midterm cycle, 2022, the DGA spent about $170 million.

Texas is one of the most expensive states to campaign in, and Democratic leaders in Washington have been skeptical about flipping the state blue.

Abbott, who is running for a fourth term as governor, has $67 million cash on hand compared with Hinojosa's $3 million, according to the latest finance report in July. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report labels the race "likely" Republican.

Even so, most recent polls show Abbott with less than 50% support and Hinojosa within 5 points.

What they're saying: "While there will certainly be more investment, announcing a figure would only advantage the [Republican Governors Association] in any counter-investment. I look forward to working with the signees of the letter in supporting Gina," Beshear told Axios in a statement.

He said Hinojosa "has proven herself to be a great candidate" and that the DGA is "currently investing by paying expenses and recently providing staff."

DGA communications director Sam Newton added: "As the race in Texas becomes increasingly competitive in the final stretch, we will be ready to capitalize on any opportunity to make a real difference."

Zoom out: The letter to Beshear is also signed by several members of Congress from Texas, including Rep. Greg Casar, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and Rep. Joaquin Castro.

They argued that an Abbott victory wouldn't affect just Texas but the U.S. House of Representatives.

They wrote that Abbott will further gerrymander the state and take away up to 10 more Democratic-held congressional seats over the next four years.

"The only way to stop it is to elect Gina Hinojosa as governor of Texas, who has promised to veto illegal maps," they wrote.

Between the lines: As the DGA's chair, Beshear would have some advantages if he were to launch a White House run. He's building relationships across the country and glad-handing many potential donors.

The potential downside is that the DGA has limited resources and Beshear could wind up creating 2028 foes, depending on which races he invests in and which he doesn't.

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Exclusive: Latino leaders pressure Beshear on Texas' race for governor

Beshear's decision on where to spend millions in DGA money this fall will test his political instincts.

Split screen of Andy Beshear and Gina Hinojosa

Andy Beshear photo by Steph Chambers / Getty Images; Gina Hinojosa by Katina Zentz / San Antonio Express-News via Getty Images

2026 midterm elections

Latin America and Latinos

Top aides for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' failed 2024 presidential campaign have a warning for Democratic governors eyeing a 2028 run: Don't wait too long after November's midterms to jump into the race.

Why it matters: In the coming months, Govs. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania, Wes Moore of Maryland, JB Pritzker of Illinois and Andy Beshear of Kentucky will face a dilemma similar to what confronted DeSantis after his 2022 reelection:

Do they get in the race early — before their postelection legislative sessions start — and risk not being focused on their constituents? Or do they wait until late spring to rack up policy wins and give their opponents a head start on a White House run? 

Their allies and some of their teams are already debating which path to take, Democratic sources tell Axios.

Driving the news: Many DeSantis aides now regret how they handled the months between DeSantis' commanding reelection victory in November 2022 and his entry into the presidential race in late May 2023, several told Axios.

Donald Trump announced his reelection bid in November 2022 and began attacking DeSantis while the governor was scoring state policy wins and promoting a new book — but falling behind in the presidential race.

"In this atmosphere, you can't be president by just being a great governor and boasting about your legislative wins," said Ryan Tyson, a Republican pollster and president of the Tyson Group who was a senior adviser to DeSantis.

"That's how they did it in the '90s — not anymore. Enough of the voters  in these early nomination contests will be driven by emotion more so than logic."

A former DeSantis aide added: "There were diminishing returns for DeSantis passing conservative legislation [in Florida's 2023 session] because of his preexisting, extensive record."

"I don't think it's very helpful for a Democratic governor waiting to announce for 2028 to use the legislative session to just keep doing more of what they've already been doing," the former DeSantis aide said.

"It would have to be new stuff to command media attention or fix a potential political vulnerability."

Reality check: The 2028 Democratic primary is different from the 2024 Republican primary.

DeSantis was running against a former president who was still extraordinarily popular with the GOP base.

The legal indictments against Trump led many Republican voters to rally around him.

Trump also made the unorthodox move to go negative against DeSantis in paid and earned media before the Florida governor got in the race.

Between the lines: If Democratic governors declare their candidacies before their legislative sessions are over, they could face attacks from rivals in the presidential race in addition to rebellions within their states.

Ambitious state legislators could hold up bills and criticize newly elected governors for focusing on national politics just months after winning reelection.

Axios asked Shapiro, Moore, Beshear and Pritzker if they had committed to finishing their state legislative sessions before declaring whether they were running for president.

None of them directly answered the question. 

Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder told Axios: "While we appreciate team DeSantis taking a break from banning abortion and rigging our democracy to offer unsolicited advice, I'll repeat what the governor has made clear: The midterms run through Pennsylvania, and the only thing we are focused on is winning up and down the ballot this November."

Dem governors weighing White House face the DeSantis trap

The risk for governors eyeing a run for president: waiting too long after the midterms to jump into the race.

Photo illustration of Ron DeSantis in an hourglass, with sand falling on his head.

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch / Axios. Photo: Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images

Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

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President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner arrived in Kyiv on Sunday for diplomatic talks aimed at resuming negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. 

Why it matters: Kushner and Witkoff traveled to Kyiv right after talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. This is Witkoff and Kushner's first trip to Ukraine despite months of negotiating with both sides and multiple trips to Russia.

Sunday also marked the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to Ukraine since Trump started his second term.

Driving the news: U.S. and Russian officials offered positive assessments of Kushner and Witkoff's three-hour meeting with Putin on Saturday. 

"Kushner and Witkoff are making an effort, and we are making progress," a Russian official said. 

A White House official said Witkoff, Kushner and Putin discussed "plans for next steps, which will be announced in the coming weeks."

Witkoff, Kushner and their team left Moscow on Saturday night, landed several hours later in Poland, and then traveled by land to Kyiv.

Zoom in: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed Ukrainian preparations for continuing the war through the winter, a source familiar with the meetings said. Kushner and Witkoff stressed they want a breakthrough before winter, the source said.

Zelensky later confirmed that the possibility of the war continuing through the winter was discussed. 

"We very much hope that we will be able to reach agreements with our American partners, and we are counting on the support of our European partners if the war continues in winter — and this is how it appears at the moment," he said.

Witkoff and Kushner met twice with Zelensky and his senior advisers. National security advisers from the U.K., France and Germany joined a third meeting.

After the second meeting with Zelensky, Trump's envoys said they were "encouraged by the substantive discussion" and looked forward to making more progress.

What they're saying: A second source who participated in Sunday's talks said the meetings "went well" and that Kushner and Witkoff want to work with the parties on a "refreshed" peace proposal.

"Things may move in a good direction if there's a follow-up by all parties involved," the source said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details throughout.

Witkoff and Kushner make first Kyiv visit for peace talks

They met Putin in Moscow before heading to Kyiv.

Zelensky walks alongside Witkoff and Kushner outside a government building in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) welcomes Steve Witkoff (center) and Jared Kushner in Kyiv on Sunday ahead of talks on efforts to end the war with Russia. Photo: Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images

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Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Sunday cautiously predicted gasoline price relief is on the way, but stopped short of firm or precise pledges.

Why it matters: Pump prices are at their highest Labor Day weekend levels on record, and the midterms loom less than two months away.

His appearances on Sunday political shows also comes as diesel prices, which ripple through the economy, are at all-time highs.

"I think prices headed downward is — is not an unreasonable expectation," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

State of play: On that show and others, Wright noted that U.S. gasoline demand typically falls after Labor Day with the end of the traditional summer driving season. 

He also promoted recent administration moves to ease some environmental requirements for summer gasoline blends.

"Gasoline production is about to go up and demand is about to go down. So, if I had to guess, they're more likely to go down than go up," Wright said on CNN's "State of the Union."

Catch up quick: U.S. regular gasoline prices averaged $4.15 per gallon Sunday, per AAA data. 

A line chart that tracks the U.S. average regular gasoline price per gallon daily from Jan. 1 to Sept. 6, 2026. Prices rose from $2.8335 on Jan. 1 to a peak of $4.5641 on May 21, then eased to $4.1473 by Sept. 6. The low was $2.7951 on Jan. 11.

U.S. average regular gasoline prices

The intrigue: Wright also pointed to declining prices for gasoline futures contracts in the months ahead.

"The marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower. So trust the market, certainly don't trust my predictions.," he said on ABC's "This Week," per a transcript.

Yes, but: Futures prices months ahead are volatile, and they're not a crystal ball for what will be happening in retail markets.

Pump prices have climbed in recent weeks amid a flare-up in hostilities that has driven crude oil prices higher.

Crude oil is already at its highest level in roughly six weeks, with the global benchmark above $96 per barrel at Friday's close, even though more oil appears to have been transiting the Strait of Hormuz recently.

What we're watching: Oil prices could see another jump when markets open for the week, following fresh conflicts this weekend.

Trump's energy boss wavers on gasoline price path

Wright says prices should fall but avoids a firm timeline.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright at the White House on June 22, 2026. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images

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President Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin Saturday and discussed U.S. ideas for ending the war in Ukraine.

Why it matters: Witkoff and Kushner want to resume direct talks between Russia and Ukraine after negotiations were suspended six months ago and  the fighting has escalated ahead of winter.  

Witkoff and Kushner, who are expected to travel to Kyiv on Sunday, got Russia and Ukraine to agree to a short pause in airstrikes to allow the trip to take place.

What they are saying: Putin told Witkoff and Kushner at the top of the three-hour meeting that he has "full trust" in the U.S. mediation between Russia and Ukraine.  

Witkoff thanked Putin for releasing ex-U.S. Marine Robert Gilman and for agreeing to pause airstrikes against Ukraine while U.S. negotiators are visiting Kyiv. 

Putin said the pause will begin at midnight Saturday Moscow time and noted that Ukraine also reduced its strikes.   

"We will do our utmost to provide for the safety of the negotiations," Putin said. 

Yes, but: Over the last several days, Russia dramatically increased its drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, including Kyiv and other major cities. 

The big picture: The trip to Kyiv by Trump's envoys will be the highest-level visit by a U.S. official to Ukraine since President Trump started his second term.

The intrigue: Gene Lange, the acting sanctions czar at the Treasury Department, joined Witkoff and Kushner on the trip. Lange participated in a preparatory meeting with Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev but didn't attend the meeting with Putin.

Witkoff and Kushner meet with Putin about ending Ukraine war

Russia paused airstrikes to allow the negotiations.

Axios

Sunday's top stories

Far-right win in state election tests Germany's political firewall

Exclusive: Latino leaders pressure Beshear on Texas' race for governor

Dem governors weighing White House face the DeSantis trap

Witkoff and Kushner make first Kyiv visit for peace talks

Trump's energy boss wavers on gasoline price path

Witkoff and Kushner meet with Putin about ending Ukraine war

Scoop: Republican midterms convention speakers revealed

U.S. attacks 3 Iranian tankers in tit-for-tat response

"We're stuck:" GOP accepts Trump's all-about-me midterms

Republicans sour on the economy