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🇫🇷 France /Elections & Politics

LIVE: Germany awaits Chancellor Merz’s response after far-right victory in Saxony-Anhalt

From Libération · () French

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

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The AfD came close to winning an absolute majority in Saxony-Anhalt, putting its leader Ulrich Siegmund at the center of efforts to form a state government.
  • The result dealt a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU, while Spain’s Pedro Sánchez criticized the far right and figures in the U.S. MAGA movement celebrated the AfD’s gains.
  • The left-conservative BSW, which cleared the 5% threshold, said it would not block Siegmund in a possible third-round vote, potentially allowing his election by a simple majority.

The AfD’s near-majority in Saxony-Anhalt has put Germany’s political firewall against the far right under immediate pressure. Ulrich Siegmund, the party’s leading candidate, could become state premier if the BSW follows through on its stated position.

The winner of the election is very clear, it is the AfD and Mr. Siegmund. It is up to him to form the government.

· Thomas SchulzeThe BSW’s lead candidate explained why his party would not block an AfD bid to form the state government.

The left-conservative BSW had been expected to miss the regional parliament, but won more than 5% in Sunday’s election and emerged as a potential kingmaker. Its lead candidate, Thomas Schulze, told German radio on Monday that the party would not block Siegmund if he stood for minister-president.

The BSW also said it would maintain its decision to abstain in a third round of voting in the regional parliament. That could allow the AfD candidate to win with a simple majority. Schulze said, “The winner of the election is very clear, it is the AfD and Mr. Siegmund. It is up to him to form the government.”

The extremist threat, largely because of the surrender of traditional conservatives, is gaining ground in Europe and around the world.

· Pedro SánchezSpain’s prime minister criticized the AfD’s election success.

The result drew sharply different reactions abroad. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the extremist threat was gaining ground in Europe and the world, largely because traditional conservatives were surrendering. He argued that a progressive coalition government such as Spain’s was more necessary than ever.

A tremendous victory and a new day in Germany.

· Richard GrenellThe former U.S. ambassador to Germany celebrated the AfD’s result.

In the United States, the MAGA movement welcomed the result. Richard Grenell, a former U.S. ambassador to Germany during Donald Trump’s first presidency, called it “a tremendous victory and a new day in Germany.” Elon Musk also praised the AfD, replying “Well done!” to a post by co-leader Alice Weidel. Meanwhile, Germany’s VdK social organization warned that an AfD government could end school inclusion and threaten the dignity and participation of people with disabilities.

Well done!

· Elon MuskMusk reacted on X to a post by AfD co-leader Alice Weidel.
About this summary

Originally published by Libération in French. 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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