• Siemens Energy CEO warns against far-right AfD's energy policies, calling them detrimental to German industry and democracy.
• German intelligence classifies AfD in Saxony-Anhalt as "confirmed far-right," raising concerns about the party's influence in upcoming state-level election.
• Leading business executives express alarm over AfD's economic plans, cautioning against the party's vision of returning Germany to past successes.

Siemens Energy issued an urgent warning on the energy policies proposed by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as the party was poised for victory in a keenly watched state-level election on Sunday.

The AfD programme calling for a return to coal and nuclear power was bad for German industry and in some respects attacked democracy, Siemens Energy chief executive Christian Bruch told dpa. "I consider that absolutely critical," he said.

"Our company and our jobs in Germany depend on our ability to export, to attract international skilled workers to Germany, and on foreign investors being able to rely on political stability," Bruch said.

Turning to the election in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Bruch said he was deeply concerned. He noted that German domestic intelligence classified the AfD in the state as "confirmed far-right."

Bruch expressed disappointment that German politicians had failed to find compromises that most of the population could identify with, describing the situation as "absolutely critical."

He warned that other countries were undergoing rapid change and that the AfD was sending out a "dramatically wrong message" with its vision of returning Germany to past successes. "Nostalgic politics keeps setting us further back," he said.

The AfD's energy policies were "not sensible" in a highly interconnected Europe, he said.

In recent months, leading business executives have repeatedly warned about the AfD's economic plans. "Populist parties claim to have simple answers," Deutsche Bank head Christian Sewing said in Frankfurt recently.

"In reality, they advocate policies that run counter to the foundations of our success: openness, diversity, a strong Europe, reliable institutions and international cooperation," he added.

There are concerns the AfD, which is rejected as a coalition partner by mainstream parties, could secure enough support to govern on its own in Saxony-Anhalt.