Germany’s extreme-right party, backed by Donald Trump, has won a “sensational” victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Preliminary results show that Alternative für Deutschland – Alternative for Germany or AfD – has taken 43.8 per cent of the vote but fallen short of an outright majority. This means it can’t govern alone and will now need to engage in negotiations with rivals to form a coalition.
However, the result is significant. If it manages to form a government it will be the first time since the Second World War that a far-right party has controlled a German state.
Shorts
The leader of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, said it was a “sensational” victory. “This isn’t just about Saxony-Anhalt,” he said after the result. “It’s a signal for the whole of Germany – a self-confident signal.”
