Merkel: AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt makes her heart bleed

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed deep dismay over the AfD's electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt, calling the result "shocking" and saying her heart "bleeds" as a CDU member. She described the outcome as a significant turning point in Germany's post-war history. Speaking at the Digital X trade fair in Cologne days after the state election, Merkel urged democratic parties to improve communication by addressing citizens individually and meeting them where they are. She criticized the trend of emotions overshadowing facts, citing the AfD's rejection of positive economic data in the state. Merkel warned that allowing feelings to supersede factual consensus would represent a civilizational regression, undermining the Enlightenment's progress. Her comments followed the CDU's halving of its vote share in the election.