AfD Wins Historic Victory in Thuringia

Germany's far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), achieved a historic victory by winning the state election in Thuringia with 32.8% of the vote, marking the first such win for a far-right party since World War II. Despite this, the AfD lacks coalition partners, making it unlikely to govern. The party also came in a close second in Saxony. Meanwhile, the newly formed left-populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) performed well, securing third place in both states. The results reflect growing dissatisfaction with mainstream parties and indicate a significant shift in voter sentiment towards anti-immigration and nationalist policies. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on mainstream parties to exclude the AfD from any governing coalitions, labeling the results as 'bitter' and 'worrying'.