Saxony-Anhalt's New AfD State Parliament: 39 Seats, Young and Radical

The AfD won 43.8 percent of the vote and 39 seats in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament, with nearly all seats won directly and only one via the party list. Many newly elected members have controversial backgrounds. Nineteen of the 39 members are returning to parliament. Two members face investigations over alleged contacts with the banned far-right group "Artgemeinschaft," and one also faces weapons charges. The faction has only two women, and its average age is relatively young. The oldest member is a former Stasi employee, while another is a twice-convicted criminal. The AfD's result was its best ever at the state level, while the CDU shrank to 15 seats. All other parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD.