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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Elections & Politics

Far-right victory leaves Germany’s Merz shaken

From Daily Star · () English

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

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • The Alternative for Germany won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, taking first place but falling short of an absolute majority with 39 of 83 seats.
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out cooperation with the party, which is seeking support from lawmakers in his conservative bloc to form a state government.
  • The result highlighted the unpopularity of Merz’s coalition and raised concern in neighboring France and Poland.

The Alternative for Germany’s surge to nearly 44 percent in Saxony-Anhalt has shaken Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives, even as the far-right party fell short of the majority needed to govern alone.

Merz ruled out working with the AfD after the state election. But he conceded that the result had shaken his party “to its very foundations.”

The AfD won 39 of the 83 seats in the state legislature. It is now appealing to lawmakers from Merz’s conservative bloc to support its bid to rule the eastern German state. Such an outcome would mark the first time a far-right party takes power at state level in postwar Germany.

The anti-immigrant, pro-Russia party’s performance also exposed the deep unpopularity of Merz’s ruling coalition. The result triggered alarm beyond Germany, particularly in neighboring France and Poland.

to its very foundations

· Friedrich MerzMerz described the impact of the AfD’s election result on his party while ruling out cooperation with it.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Star 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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