The far-right Alternative for Germany has won a landslide victory in Saxony-Anhalt, but forming a government may prove to be more difficult. Here's what to expect over the coming weeks as parties navigate a political deadlock.
The election result in Saxony-Anhalt answered one question and raised several new ones. Voters handed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) victory, giving the party 43.8 percent of the vote – according to preliminary results – and making it by far the strongest force in the next state parliament.
But winning an election and forming a government are not the same thing.
The AfD, which is designated as right-wing extremist in the state, fell three seats short of an outright parliamentary majority, while the parties that reject cooperation with it lack a majority of their own.
The CDU suffered a crushing defeat, losing almost 20 percentage points compared with the last election. The Left Party also lost support.
