AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt state election, seeks coalition partners

The AfD won the Saxony-Anhalt state election with 43.8 percent of the vote, falling three seats short of an absolute majority. The party is now seeking coalition partners to form a government. The CDU received 17.2 percent, followed by the SPD with 9.3 percent, the Greens with 8.9 percent, and the Left with 8.6 percent. The BSW entered parliament with 5.3 percent, while the FDP failed to clear the five-percent threshold. Voter turnout reached 77.8 percent, the highest since reunification. The BSW has announced it will abstain in the third round of the minister-president vote, potentially easing the path for AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund. Economists warn of long-term risks, and CDU politician Michael Kretschmer urged parties to take voters' concerns seriously.