AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt election with 44% of vote

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won the regional election in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday with nearly 44% of the vote, bringing a far-right party to the brink of regional power in Germany for the first time since World War II. The result was a devastating defeat for Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives. The AfD secured 39 of 83 parliamentary seats, while the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) fell to 17.2%. Voter turnout reached approximately 78%, the highest in the state since German reunification in 1990. All mainstream parties have refused to cooperate with the AfD, which is classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence. The AfD, now Germany's most popular party nationally with 28% support, advocates severe immigration restrictions, restoring relations with Russia, reducing aid to Ukraine, and abandoning the euro. The result reflects widespread dissatisfaction with the federal government, with 87% of voters expressing discontent.