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🇦🇺 Australia /Elections & Politics

Far-right AfD wins German state election for the first time since World War II

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • The far-right Alternative for Germany won at least 44% in Saxony-Anhalt, becoming the largest party and making the first far-right state-election victory since World War II.
  • The CDU’s share fell to 18.5%, while no other party won more than 10%, leaving the AfD just short of a projected parliamentary majority.
  • The result triggered protests and political shock, while established parties continued to rule out coalition cooperation with the AfD.

The Alternative for Germany has become the largest party in Saxony-Anhalt, a breakthrough described as Germany’s first far-right state-election victory since World War II. Exit polls from public broadcasters ARD and ZDF gave the AfD at least 44% of the vote, a gain of 20 percentage points from the 2021 election.

We have made history today.

· Ulrich SiegmundThe AfD’s lead candidate addressed supporters after the party became the largest force in Saxony-Anhalt.

ARD projected that the party could win as many as 39 of the state parliament’s 83 seats, just short of a majority. The centre-right CDU, which has governed Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, fell to 18.5%. No other party reached 10%, leaving the AfD with a clear lead but no immediate guarantee that it could form a government.

Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s lead candidate, said the party was ready to approach all parties. “We have made history today,” he told supporters. “We extend a hand to all democratic forces that wish to pursue better policies.” AfD co-leader Alice Weidel called the result historic and said it gave the party a clear mandate to govern.

We extend a hand to all democratic forces that wish to pursue better policies.

· Ulrich SiegmundSiegmund said the AfD was prepared to approach all parties about forming a government.

The CDU said it would not cooperate with the AfD or the far left. Franziska Hoppermann, the party’s national general secretary, called the result “a very difficult result for us.” SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil described it as “saddening” and “a turning point” for Germany. Protesters gathered in Magdeburg, the state capital, after the result.

A very difficult result for us.

· Franziska HoppermannThe CDU’s national general secretary assessed the party’s heavy defeat.

The breakthrough poses a challenge to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the CDU. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency classifies the AfD branch in Saxony-Anhalt, led by Siegmund, as right-wing extremist and says it has links to ethno-nationalist groups and think tanks. Several Siegmund staffers and party colleagues formerly belonged to the banned neo-Nazi group Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend. Siegmund defended his team as “excellent people” and said he was “not interested in what happened 20 or 25 years ago.”

Saddening

· Lars KlingbeilThe SPD co-leader described the result and called it a turning point for Germany.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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