AfD's Weidel targets 40% in next national election after state win

Germany's far-right AfD party aims to secure 40% of the vote in the next federal election, following its record state election victory in Saxony-Anhalt. Co-leader Alice Weidel made the announcement Monday, citing the party's "dream result" and national polls showing a nearly 10-point lead. She predicted Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives cannot win again, citing issues like migration, energy policy, and deindustrialization. The AfD won 43.8% in Saxony-Anhalt, its best state result ever, though it fell short of an absolute majority. The next federal election is due by 2029.