Germany's far-right AfD party achieves record election support

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a record 19.5-20 percent of the vote in recent national elections, becoming the second strongest party after the conservative CDU/CSU alliance, which received at least 28.5 percent. AfD leader Alice Weidel claimed the party is now "firmly anchored" in German politics and expressed hopes for collaboration with the CDU/CSU, despite their leader rejecting this idea. The party has softened some of its extreme rhetoric to appeal to a broader audience. The AfD's support is particularly strong in eastern Germany, where it received over 30 percent of the vote. Weidel's personal background and efforts to mainstream the party have contributed to its growing acceptance among voters.