German Far-Right Party Wins State Vote in Saxony-Anhalt, Falls Short of Majority

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 44% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election on Sunday, the strongest result for a far-right party at state level in Germany since World War II, but fell short of an outright majority. The center-right CDU of Chancellor Friedrich Merz won under 20%, while voter turnout hit a record 77% in the state of 2.1 million people. The AfD, which campaigned on restricting immigration, ending aid to Ukraine, and leaving the euro, now holds 39 of 83 legislative seats, three short of a majority. Mainstream parties have refused to form a coalition with the AfD, maintaining a "firewall" against the party, whose state branch is classified as "right-wing extremist" by domestic intelligence. The result drew international reactions, including from U.S. President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, while European leaders expressed alarm.