SPD candidate receives full citizen frustration on the street

2026-09-01

Stefan Schneider, a 36-year-old SPD candidate in Sachsen-Anhalt, is facing intense hostility while campaigning in an area where the AfD is exceptionally strong. He has been called a “Volksverräter” (“traitor to the people”) and says he has even been physically attacked.

Schneider is contesting Wahlkreis 41, in the southernmost part of Sachsen-Anhalt, including Zeitz and Hohenmölsen as well as smaller communities such as Schnaudertal and Wetterzeube. The constituency is regarded as an AfD stronghold. In the 2021 state election, the AfD won its only direct mandate in Sachsen-Anhalt there.

Despite the difficult environment, Schneider has been campaigning door to door and distributing flyers in an effort to win support for the SPD. He joined the party only at the beginning of 2025 and is now attempting to persuade voters in a region where the party faces a major uphill battle.

During a campaign visit to Hohenmölsen, Schneider described the experience of campaigning as frustrating. He said people sometimes slam doors in his face and become loud, while some have directly insulted him. Nevertheless, he insists that every vote matters ahead of the state election.

The SPD is also fighting to remain above the five-percent threshold required to enter the Landtag. The Greens face a similar challenge. If both parties return to the state parliament, the AfD would likely be prevented from securing an absolute majority.

The Sachsen-Anhalt election is scheduled for September 6, with the AfD currently far ahead of its rivals in opinion polls. For Schneider and the SPD, the campaign has therefore become a battle not only for individual votes but also against growing political polarization and hostility on the streets.