German far-right wins historic state vote but lacks majority

The far-right party AfD won a historic election in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, securing 44% of the vote and the largest parliamentary bloc, but it lacks a majority to govern alone. The AfD's candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, would need to negotiate with other parties to become minister-president, a task complicated by the CDU's refusal to work with the party, which intelligence services classify as "proven far-right." The CDU, the main loser, won 17.5%, while other parties also entered parliament. The result is a blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's federal government, with observers viewing the vote as a sign of its weakness. The AfD, known for anti-immigration and anti-EU stances, may face weeks of coalition talks or a CDU minority government, as turnout reached 78%.