AfD wins 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt but lacks governing majority

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a landslide victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election with 43.8% of the vote, securing 39 of 83 parliamentary seats but falling short of an absolute majority needed to govern alone. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which previously led the state government, suffered a historic defeat, dropping to 17.2% from 37.1% in 2021. The Social Democrats placed third with 9.3%, followed by the Greens and Left Party. Voter turnout surged to 77.8%, the highest since German reunification. AfD's candidate Ulrich Siegmund has claimed a mandate to govern, but nearly all other parties have ruled out a coalition with his party. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which entered parliament for the first time, could theoretically form a majority with AfD but has also rejected a formal alliance, leaving the government formation uncertain.