AfD Wins Thuringia State Election

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has won the state election in Thuringia with 30.5-33.5% of the vote, marking the first such victory for a far-right party in Germany since World War II. The party also performed strongly in Saxony, where it was nearly level with the mainstream Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Despite their electoral success, the AfD is unlikely to form a government due to the refusal of other parties to collaborate with them. The newly formed Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) also made significant inroads, securing up to 16% of the vote in Thuringia and 12% in Saxony. This political shift reflects deep discontent with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s national government, driven by issues such as immigration and opposition to military aid to Ukraine. AfD’s co-leader, Alice Weidel, hailed the results as a 'historic success' and a 'requiem' for Scholz's coalition.