Far-right AfD wins key German state election but may fail to secure majority
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- Exit polls projected the anti-immigration Alternative für Deutschland as the winner of Saxony-Anhalt’s state election with 44.5% of the vote.
- The AfD led Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats, but it remained unclear whether the party could form a government or win a majority.
- A far-right party taking regional or national power would mark the first such development in Germany since the Second World War.
The Alternative für Deutschland has emerged as the clear winner of a crucial state election in Germany, according to exit polls, but the result may not give the far-right party enough support to govern alone.
The AfD stood at 44.5% in Saxony-Anhalt, decisively ahead of the Christian Democrats led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Turnout was described as high, and votes were still being counted.
The election drew attention across Germany and beyond because an AfD victory could produce a historic breakthrough. It would be the first time since the Second World War that a far-right party gained power at regional or parliamentary level.
The immediate question remained whether the AfD could form a government. Despite its strong showing, the exit poll did not establish that it had secured a majority.
About this summary
Originally published by The Guardian. 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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