AfD wins 44% in Saxony-Anhalt, complicating coalition talks
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election with approximately 44% of the vote, more than doubling its 2021 result and dealing a severe blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU, which fell to about 18%. The AfD secured 39 of 83 parliamentary seats, three short of an absolute majority, while the CDU won only 16. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) narrowly entered parliament with four seats, complicating coalition math, as traditional parties lack a majority without breaking their long-standing refusal to cooperate with the AfD. International reactions were sharply divided, with US President Donald Trump and Russian officials celebrating the result, while Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk condemned it and Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called it "very bad news." The AfD's regional branch is classified as "proven right-wing extremist" by German intelligence.