Far-right AfD wins key German state in major blow to Merz
- The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has secured a historic victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election with 43.8 per cent of the vote.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz‘s conservative CDU suffered a historic defeat, coming second with 17.2 per cent in a state it had led for 24 years.
- While the AfD fell short of an outright majority, state party leader Ulrich Siegmund claimed a clear mandate to govern and expressed openness to coalition talks.
- It remains uncertain whether the AfD can form a regional government, as mainstream parties have previously ruled out entering a coalition with the hard-right party.
- An AfD-led administration plans to launch a crackdown on migration, set up separate school classes for refugee children, and limit Islamic expression.
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