AfD's Saxony-Anhalt win pushes Germany into uncharted territory

Germany's far-right AfD party won a historic victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state election on Sunday, securing around 44% of the vote and becoming the state's largest party for the first time since World War II. The result delivered a devastating blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU, which fell to roughly 18%, less than half its 2021 score. Voters expressed anger over economic stagnation, high living costs, and Merz's unpopular leadership, with the AfD potentially seeking coalition partners to form a government. The victory underscores Germany's broader crises, including rapid deindustrialization and reform paralysis. While the AfD is not neo-Nazi, its rise challenges Germany's post-1945 pillars of European integration and liberal democracy, with potential consequences for all of Europe.