AfD wins historic vote share in Saxony-Anhalt, leaving Germanys CDU in crisis

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9 days · 11 summary articles
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) secured 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election on Sunday, a historic result that more than doubled its support from five years ago and left the party just short of an absolute majority in the 83-seat parliament, according to final results. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) slumped to 17.2%, its worst performance in the state, as voters punished the party over unmet economic promises and dissatisfaction with national leadership.
Merz described the outcome as “a tectonic upheaval in our party system” and acknowledged it shook the CDU “to its very foundations,” according to Bild . The AfD’s 39 seats leave it dependent on potential defectors or a coalition to govern, but all major parties have ruled out joining an AfD-led government. Josef Schuster, president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, warned that an AfD state government could cause “immense damage,” particularly through influence over school curricula .
Political scientist Nicolas Spohn told Euronews the result was “an earthquake for the rest of the parties” and a sign of broader voter discontent with Merz’s federal government, whose popularity has plummeted to 16% . Exit polls showed AfD voters prioritized immigration and cost-of-living issues. Meanwhile, Hendrik Wüst, minister-president of North Rhine-Westphalia and a potential successor to Merz, broke with CDU ranks by calling for a serious examination of banning the AfD, citing its violations of democratic principles .
The AfD has signaled it may push for new elections if it cannot form a government, as no other party is willing to coalition with it . SPD deputy leader Alexander Schweitzer proposed a cross-party expert government to block an AfD minister-president, arguing, “We as SPD cannot stand idly by while a far-right extremist takes the office” .
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