BERLIN — Voters in Saxony-Anhalt went to the polls on Sunday to elect a new state assembly in an election that is a test for German political parties ahead the national election in September.

Five years ago, Chancellor Angela Merkel's center-right Christian Democratic Union won the last election in the sparsely populated state of 2.2 million.

But opinion polls now show the party in a tight race against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which came second in Saxony-Anhalt in 2016.

Incumbent governor Reiner Haseloff, a member of Merkel's CDU, is popular with voters in the state. A win would foster hope the party's new leader, Armin Laschet, could gather support from both conservatives and centrists in this fall's national election.

The AfD has benefited from anti-government sentiment in the state, which until 1990 was part of communist East Germany.

The party has lately campaigned strongly against pandemic restrictions, and its election posters urged voters to demonstrate their “resistance” at the ballot box.

The environmentalist Greens, who have been riding high in national polls, aim to reach 10% in Saxony-Anhalt, while the center-left Social Democrats are hoping to stay above that mark.

Both have been part of Haseloff's governing coalition for the past five years. Haseloff has ruled out any cooperation with Alternative for Germany or the ex-communist Left party.

Polls indicate the pro-business Free Democrats may enter the state assembly again after missing out five years ago. — Euronews