Exit polls show big win for Germany’s far-right AfD in state election, but government elusive

MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — The far-right Alternative for Germany was projected to win a strong victory in a regional election Sunday, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether it would be able to fulfill its ambition of forming the country’s first far-right state government since World War II.The party of German's unpopular leader, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, was set for a disastrous result in the the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. The anti-migration and Russia-friendly Alternative for Germany's candidate for governor said that “we have written history.”Ulrich Siegmund, 35, told public broadcaster ARD that voters had sent a signal that “things cannot carry on like this” and that it was “also a signal toward Berlin.” Of Germany’s unpopular leader, he said: “A very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz. Every day this man is in the chancellery is one too many.”AfD wanted to govern on its ownAlternative for Germany, or AfD, went into the vote seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern on its own.

That would overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties’ refusal to work with AfD, but it was unclear after polls closed whether it would happen.A first state government would be the biggest prize in the anti-migration party’s 13-year history, at a time of widespread discontent with a national government that has yet to persuade voters that it can get the country’s sluggish economy moving.Whether or not AfD can form a government, the projected result is a blow to Merz, whose center-right party has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years. Unlike other countries in Europe, modern Germany hasn't yet had a far-right or right-wing populist party leading a national, state or major-city government.AfD is the biggest opposition party in Germany’s national parliament and is strongest in the formerly communist and less prosperous east, where Saxony-Anhalt is located. Its regional branch in Saxony-Anhalt is one of several classified by the domestic intelligence agency as a proven right-wing extremist group.

AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.Big decline for German leader's partyProjections for ARD and ZDF public television, based on exit polls and early counting, put AfD at a bit over 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.That was far ahead of Me… Winning some 44% of vote, too early to tell if victory will pave way for country's first far-right state government since WWII, as all major parties have ruled out cooperation The post Exit polls show big win for Germany’s far-right AfD in state election, but government elusive appeared first on The Times of Israel. Of Germany’s leader, he added: “A very good campaigner for us in this election campaign was Friedrich Merz.

Every day this man is in the chancellery is one too many.”Alternative for Germany, or AfD, went into the vote seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern on its own. AfD vehemently rejects accusations of extremism.Projections for ARD and ZDF public television, based on exit polls and early counting, put AfD at around 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.That was far ahead of the Christian Democratic Union, the center-right party of Merz that has led the state for 24 years, which was seen polling 18.5% and losing about half its support. The Left Party and the center-left Social Democrats and Greens were seen …

The AfD party has a strong lead in a German regional election, but it is unclear whether it will be able to form the country’s first far-right state government since World War II. The Alternative for Germany party has a strong lead in a regional election, but it is unclear if it will be able to form Germany's's first far-right state government since WWII, exit polls indicate.(Image credit: Matthias Schrader) MAGDEBURG, Germany (AP) — The Alternative for Germany party has a strong lead in a regional election, but it is unclear whether it will be able to form the country’s first far-right state government since World War II, exit polls indicated Sunday.Alternative for Germany, or AfD, went into the vote in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt seeking an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern on its own.

It would be at least a symbolic blow to Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose center-right party has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years.The polls for ARD and ZDF public television put AfD on around 44% of the vote, more than double its showing five years ago in the region of 2.1 million people west of Berlin.That was far ahead of the Christian Democratic Union, the center-right party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz that currently leads the state, which was seen polling 18.5% and losing about half its support. The Left Party was seen finishing third with about 9%.The center-left Social Democrats and Greens also were on course to remain in the state legislature, with around 8%-9% each. It was unclear whether the BSW party would get the 5% of the vote needed to win seats.