AfD seeks conservative support to govern Saxony-Anhalt after winning 44% of vote

Germany's far-right AfD party won nearly 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, surging to first place and appealing to conservative lawmakers to support its bid to govern. The party won 39 of 83 seats, short of an absolute majority. The AfD seeks to deport immigrants, halt Ukraine support, and ditch the euro, while mainstream parties maintain a "firewall" refusing to cooperate with it. The left-wing BSW party signaled readiness to work with the AfD, potentially enabling a minority government. French and Polish officials called the result a worrying signal, and analysts warned the AfD's rise threatens the euro's long-term stability. The CDU's vote share nearly halved to 17.2%, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz facing record unpopularity.