Germany's far-right AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt state election, falls short of governing majority

The AfD finished first in Saxony-Anhalt's state election with 43.8% of the vote, three seats short of the majority needed to govern alone.

• AfD came first in Sunday's election with 43.8%, more than doubling its 2021 result, while the Christian Democrats (CDU) fell to 17.2%.
• The party took 39 of 83 state-parliament seats, three below an outright majority, and its leaders said consultations with other parties were underway.
• AfD deputy parliamentary leader Beatrix von Storch said opponents must enter talks, stating "this is what democracy demands."
• Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that AfD had enjoyed a "very good evening," attributing its rise to Germany's "horrific" immigration rules.

Latest developments

• Sep 9 — The AfD's victory is seen as a first step toward its ambition of reaching federal power by 2029, with the party now the most popular nationally at about 28% support.
• Sep 9 — Germany's domestic intelligence classifies the AfD as a far-right extremist group, and all mainstream parties refuse to cooperate with it, a label the party has rejected.
• Sep 9 — The AfD could potentially find a coalition partner in the left-extremist BSW party, provided it clears the threshold to enter parliament.