{
  "id": 6147044,
  "title": "AfD's local gains will not affect support for Ukraine – Rada committee chair Merezhko",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/afds-local-gains-will-not-affect-support-for-ukraine-rada-committee",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T16:19:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Interfax-Ukraine",
    "slug": "interfax-ukraine",
    "url": "https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1200097.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation, stated that the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party's victory in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament elections will not significantly affect Germany's foreign policy. This local win does not pose a major warning sign for potential issues with the AfD at the national level in Germany. Merezhko explained that Germany's institutions of liberal democracy are strong enough to withstand the temporary success of far-right, pro-Russian forces. The AfD secured 43.8% of the vote in Sunday's election, nearly double their performance in the region five years ago. However, they did not achieve a parliamentary majority, winning 39 out of 83 seats. In contrast, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) received only 17.2% of the vote and will hold 15 seats. AfD co-chair Alice Weidel expressed optimism about securing at least 40% of the vote in the 2029 federal parliamentary elections.",
  "summary": "The victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the state parliament elections in Saxony-Anhalt will not have a significant impact on Germany's foreign policy, according to Oleksandr Merezhko (from the Servant of the People faction), chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}