AfD party’s landslide win in eastern Germany tests country’s ‘firewall’ against the far right

Germany is in shock following the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's landslide victory in the local elections of Saxony-Anhalt. The far-right party secured the highest vote share in a regional election in the past decade, with 43.8 percent of the vote. The alternative right-wing party's success marks a major setback for Germany's ruling party, the Christian Democratic Party (CDU).

CDU Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed deep shock at the results, stating that they have shaken the foundation of his party and the federal government. Merz announced that the outcome will have consequences and called for fundamental reforms in Germany. The CDU's local organization in Saxony-Anhalt urged resignations from the party's state chairman and executive committee.

The CDU has historically been the strongest party in Saxony-Anhalt since 2002, but its share of the vote plummeted to an all-time low of 17.4 percent in the recent election. The AfD's victory, which could potentially give the far-right party legislative and executive power for the first time since World War Two, has sparked various reactions, including calls for political changes, new elections, and potential coalitions with other parties.