AfD Wins Landslide in Saxony-Anhalt State Election

Germany's far-right AfD won a landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt's regional election Sunday, securing 44 percent of the vote and more than doubling its support, a result seen as a major rebuke to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU, which received around 18 percent. The AfD fell short of an absolute majority, and all major parties have pledged a "firewall" against cooperation with the group, whose state branch is classified as "right-wing extremist." The CDU's state premier will remain as caretaker, while the AfD eyes a potential coalition with the small pro-Russian BSW party. The result has sparked alarm, with thousands protesting in Magdeburg and Jewish leaders expressing shock. The AfD's lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, has promised radical policies including a "deportation offensive," while experts warn such immigration stances could harm the region's economy.