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Opening sentence of Stärke der AfD in Sachsen-Anhalt: "Der Osten ist eher das Normal", tagesschau.de, 26 August 2026. Quoted for study. The words are the publisher's; the analysis is ours.
Meaning
Shortly before the election in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD is clearly leading in the polls.
Word for word: Short before the election in Saxony-Anhalt leads the AfD the polls clearly at.
Used in news reporting: shortly before an election, the AfD party is clearly ahead in opinion polls.
A main clause with the fronted temporal prepositional phrase 'Kurz vor der Wahl in Sachsen-Anhalt', so the finite verb 'führt' occupies second position (verb-second). The subject 'die AfD' follows the verb; 'die Umfragen' is the accusative object of the separable verb 'anführen'. 'vor der Wahl' takes dative after the two-way preposition 'vor' with a static meaning.
Rules at work(4)
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Kurz vor der Wahl ... führt die AfD
The fronted temporal phrase forces the finite verb into second position and pushes the subject after it.
In a German main clause the finite verb is always the second element. The first element can be the subject, but it can just as easily be a time expression, an object or a whole subordinate clause; whatever it is, it counts as one element and the verb follows it. This is why putting something other than the subject first pushes the subject after the verb.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
führt ... an
'anführen' is separable, so its prefix 'an' moves to the end of the main clause.
Some verbs carry a prefix that detaches in a main clause and moves to the very end: aufstehen becomes Ich stehe um sieben auf. The prefix is stressed, which is what tells a separable prefix from an inseparable one. In a subordinate clause and in the infinitive the verb stays whole.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
vor der Wahl
'vor' with a static/time meaning governs the dative.
An, auf, hinter, in, neben, über, unter, vor and zwischen take the accusative when the phrase answers where to, and the dative when it answers where. The distinction is movement across a boundary against position, not motion against stillness.
Does this rule belong on this sentence? -
führt
The present tense reports current poll standings.
The present describes what is happening now, what happens habitually, and very often what is going to happen, since German uses the present with a time expression where English would use a future.
Does this rule belong on this sentence?
Words(11)
- kurz
short, briefly, shortly
adjectiveA1kürzer, am kürzesten / kürzeste
- vor
before, in front of, ago
prepositionA1governs dative
With clock time ('vor 7 Uhr') it means 'before' and takes no visible case change.
- der
the
determinerA1definite
Appears twice: dative feminine 'der Wirtschaft' and nominative plural 'die Beschlüsse'.
- die Wahl
election, choice
nounA2pl. Wahlengen. Wahlstrong declension
- in
in, into
prepositionA1governs accusative or dative
Dative for location, accusative for direction.
- das Sachsen-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (German federal state)
nounB1pl. Sachsen-Anhaltgen. Sachsen-Anhaltsinvariable declension
- anführen
to lead (a list, ranking), to cite
verbC1führt an, führte an, hat angeführtmit habenseparableweak
'die Umfragen anführen' means to top the polls; a different sense from 'citing' a source.
- die
the
determinerA1definite
- die AfD
Alternative für Deutschland (right-wing German party)
nounC1pl. AfDgen. AfDinvariable declension
Feminine: die AfD.
- die Umfrage
poll, survey
nounB2pl. Umfragengen. Umfrageweak declension
- klar
clear, clearly
adjectiveA2klarer, am klarsten