Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, has traveled an unusual path from mainstream conservatism to the far-right fringe. Born in Havelberg in 1990, he joined the CDU before switching to the AfD at 24, and now aims to become minister-president of the eastern German state.
Siegmund's professional background is far from typical for a politician. He trained as a wholesale and foreign trade clerk, then studied business psychology and business administration. In 2014, he founded a company specializing in scent marketing, selling fragrance oils and scenting technology. His bachelor's thesis examined how ambient scents influence purchasing behavior.
That same year, he co-founded "Berlin duftet," a venture to perfume public spaces like BVG and S-Bahn stations with calming scents such as lavender, citing examples from New York where vanilla was used to ease commuter stress. The project reflected an early interest in shaping environments, a theme that would later extend to politics.
His entry into the AfD came in 2014, and by 2016 he won a seat in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament. Since August 2022, he has co-chaired the AfD parliamentary group with Oliver Kirchner. In 2025, the party named him its lead candidate for the 2026 state election, positioning him as a potential minister-president.
Social media and the "sunny face" of the AfD
Siegmund's rise is closely tied to his digital presence. With over 400,000 Instagram followers and more than 763,500 on TikTok, he ranks among Germany's most-followed politicians. His online persona is friendly and approachable, often showing him posing with supporters at family festivals and citizen dialogues.
International media have dubbed him the AfD's "sunny face." The Financial Times has described his campaign as deliberately community-oriented and family-focused. Yet his policy platform is anything but moderate: he calls for significantly stricter migration rules, mass deportations, and a fundamental overhaul of state policy.
His personal life has also drawn attention. He is married to Julia, who appeared on the VOX wedding show "Zwischen Tüll & Tränen" while searching for her dress. The couple has a daughter. In 2017, Siegmund left the Catholic Church, saying he carries its values "in his heart" but rejects the institution. His office displays a portrait of Otto von Bismarck with the quote: "An idea that is right cannot be lied away in the long run."
Controversies and legal battles
Siegmund's career has not been without scandal. In 2026, his father Andreas, 66, faced accusations of nepotism for working in the parliamentary office of AfD MP Thomas Korell in the Bundestag. Siegmund defended the hiring of relatives, arguing that the AfD struggles to find staff because its members are stigmatized.
More seriously, Siegmund attended a meeting near Potsdam in November 2023 where Austrian right-wing extremist Martin Sellner spoke about "remigration." Sellner's concept goes beyond deporting foreigners who have overstayed, targeting "non-assimilated citizens" with migration backgrounds. Siegmund later described his attendance as private and insisted that merely listening to a lecture does not imply agreement.
When asked on Abgeordnetenwatch in January 2024 whether he distanced himself from Sellner's "master plan," Siegmund replied: "The accusations must be rejected." The Saxony-Anhalt Office for the Protection of the Constitution, under a CDU-led interior ministry, classified the state AfD as a "proven right-wing extremist endeavor" in November 2023, citing anti-Muslim, racist, and antisemitic statements by party officials. The classification is legally contested and currently suspended pending court review.
Siegmund has even turned negative press to his advantage. When Der Spiegel featured him on its cover as "Germany's most dangerous man," he signed copies of the magazine and auctioned them on eBay for high sums.
As the 2026 election approaches, Siegmund's ambitions extend beyond a parliamentary seat. He wants to lead the state government, a prospect that has unsettled many across Germany. His rally in Magdeburg drew large crowds, and polls suggest the AfD could secure a historic win. The outcome will test Germany's political taboos and could reshape the country's political landscape.
