AfD wins big in Saxony-Anhalt but falls short of governing majority

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election on Sunday, its best-ever result, but fell short of an absolute majority needed to govern alone. The AfD is projected to take 39 of 83 state parliament seats, three short of a majority, and faces a "firewall" as all mainstream parties refuse to form coalitions with it. The party has been classified as "far-right extremist" by Germany's domestic intelligence agency. Pollsters forecast the AfD could become Germany's largest party in the 2029 national election with around 28 percent of the vote, though it may still lack coalition partners. The party advocates strict immigration limits, restoring ties with Russia, cutting Ukraine support, and leaving the euro.