AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt state election with 43.8%

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state election with 43.8% of votes, doubling its 2021 result but falling short of an absolute majority. The ruling CDU secured 17.2%, followed by the SPD at 9.3%, Greens at 8.9%, and Left at 8.6%. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) narrowly passed the threshold with 5.3%. The AfD is projected to win 39 of 83 parliamentary seats, short of the 42 needed for a majority. The CDU's seat count collapsed from 40 to 15. Spiegel suggests a possible AfD government with BSW support, though BSW has ruled out backing either major party. Over half of Germans view an AfD victory as a democratic threat.