The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) won Sunday's legislative elections in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, becoming the most voted force in this region of eastern Germany. However, with 97% of the votes counted, the party fell three seats short of the absolute majority it had aimed to obtain in the regional parliament.
This result represents a significant victory for the AfD, which has been strengthening its presence in the states of former East Germany, where its populist and Eurosceptic message finds greater resonance among part of the population. Saxony-Anhalt thus joins other eastern states where the party has achieved expressive results in recent elections.
The party failed, however, to secure the necessary seats to govern alone, which will force the AfD to seek coalition partners or remain in opposition, depending on the configuration of the new regional parliament. The complete election results were still pending when the vote count stood at 97%.
The vote in Saxony-Anhalt was followed with particular attention nationwide, given its political significance for the German landscape and for the upward trajectory that the far-right has demonstrated in Germany, especially in the eastern regions of the country.
