AfD's Saxony-Anhalt win signals shift in German politics

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic state election in Saxony-Anhalt with 43.8% of the vote, marking the first outright victory for a far-right party in a German state since World War II. The result more than doubled its 2021 share and could reshape national politics. The ruling center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) trailed far behind with just 17.2%. The AfD's surge is driven by economic frustration, anger over immigration, and opposition to Germany's support for Ukraine, with the party advocating for ending Ukraine aid, lifting Russia sanctions, and leaving the EU. Although the AfD cannot govern alone, the longstanding firewall preventing other parties from cooperating with it is likely to break. A weakened federal government and no national election until 2029 could give the AfD room to grow further.