German Mainstream Parties Face Defining Moment After AfD's State Election Win

Germany's far-right AfD party won nearly 44 percent of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election, potentially enabling it to govern at state level for the first time in 80 years. This outcome challenges the "Brandmauer," the informal agreement among mainstream parties to exclude the far right. Mainstream parties are blamed for this result, as adopting hardline migration rhetoric and obscuring party identity on posters failed to stop the AfD's rise. The AfD's radical plans include segregated classes for asylum-seeking children and abolishing public broadcasting, though it remains unclear if it can form a state government. The AfD's momentum persists even in opposition, with upcoming elections in Berlin and its pro-Russian stance posing concerns for neighboring Netherlands. A warning from the Haus der Weimarer Republik emphasizes that democracy remains vulnerable and requires active citizens to defend it.