German far-right AfD landslide winner in eastern state vote
Exit polls show anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party winning crucial election in Saxony-Anhalt
Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has won a landslide victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, according to exit polls. The party scored 44.5 per cent of the vote, its best-ever result, and more than double its share in the previous state election five years ago.
It is unclear whether the AfD will be able to form a government, as it is uncertain if it will secure an outright majority in the state legislature. All major parties have ruled out cooperation with the AfD, making it difficult for the party to govern.
The result represents a significant electoral breakthrough for the AfD, and has been described as "historic" by the party's candidate for governor, Ulrich Siegmund. According to Live Mint, Siegmund said voters had sent a message that "things cannot carry on like this."
Brief written by urgent.news from Toronto Sun, National Post, The Times of Israel, Live Mint, CBC News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
