POLITICS
German far-right party wins its first state election
September 2, 2024 - The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the first far-right party to win a regional election in Germany since World War II.
Voters in two closely watched elections in the former communist east made clear their dissatisfaction with Germany’s mainstream political parties, putting the AFD in the top spot in Thuringia, with 32.8% of the vote, and second place in Saxony, with 30.6%, according to preliminary results.
The result gives the far right its first win in a state parliament election since World War II, although it has little hope of forming a government in Thuringia because other parties are unlikely to work with it, BBC reports.
The results are a disaster for the parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-way coalition, with the Social Democrats, Greens and liberals all sinking to single digits in both states.