Germany’s Political Center Fails as the AfD Rises

Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party won 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt's state election on Sunday, a major blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservative CDU, which lost half its support there and now faces a direct leadership threat. The AfD, classified as right-wing extremist by domestic intelligence, has overtaken the CDU in national polls amid Germany's stagnant economy, immigration concerns, and voter frustration with the ruling grand coalition. Merz's approval ratings have fallen to unprecedented lows, and his coalition has failed to enact promised reforms or contain the far-right's rise. Two more regional elections are scheduled this month, which could further strengthen fringe parties and intensify pressure on Merz's government. The AfD's success challenges Germany's postwar democratic order, though no other party has agreed to form a coalition with it.