Landslide Victory for Germany’s Far-Right AfD in State Election Piles Pressure on Chancellor Merz
The far-right party won 43.8% of the vote and may need defectors or a five-party coalition to govern, officials said.
- On Sunday, the far-right Alternative Germany party secured a landslide victory in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, potentially enabling the formation of the first right-wing populist state government in Germany since the Nazi era.
- Discontent with the national government's inability to stimulate Germany's sluggish economy fueled the shift, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz faced intense pressure after failing to weaken the party as promised.
- Turnout reached 77.8% as AfD captured 43.8% of the vote, more than double its result five years ago, while the Christian Democrats polled 17.2%, losing half their support.
- Mainstream parties have maintained a "firewall" refusing to work with AfD, yet the party could theoretically govern by forming an unusual coalition with the hard-left BSW, which received 5.3% of the vote.
- Billionaire Elon Musk and Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev praised the outcome, while AfD national leader Alice Weidel described the result as a "signal for change" regarding migration and energy policies.
37 Articles
37 Articles
Germany Takes a Hard Right Turn
The far-right Alternative for Germany’s strong showing in yesterday’s state elections could have consequences well beyond German politics. The big loser is Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He’s not yet in danger of losing power, but the AfD has almost doubled its national support in the last two years while backing for Merz’s party has collapsed. Join […]
Germany’s AfD landslide piles pressure on Merz as far right eyes first state govt
BERLIN, Sept 7 — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s conservatives licked their wounds Monday after a crushing state election defeat in the ex-communist east, as the triumphant...
Landslide victory for Germany’s far-right AfD in state election piles pressure on Chancellor Merz
BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was facing pressure Monday after the far-right Alternative Germany (AfD) party swept to a landslide victory in a regional election, possibly paving th…
Beckley Register-Herald
Landslide victory for Germany's far-right AfD in state election piles pressure on Chancellor Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is under pressure after the far-right Alternative Germany (AfD) party achieved a significant victory in a regional election. AfD nearly secured a majority in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, marking a potential shift for Germany, which has avoided…
No flowers for election losers Schulze: After the crash in Saxony-Anhalt there is a hangover in the CDU-Gremien. Now it is also about the future of the chancellor.
Germany's chancellor convenes a crisis meeting: the election victory of the far-right AfD was a clear signal that a comprehensive inventory was necessary.
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