Germany: After AfD's Victory in Saxony-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz Staggers but Stands Firm
The far-right party captured 44% of votes on Sunday in this eastern state—a historic score that rattles Chancellor Merz's CDU without, for now, calling his authority within the party into question.
Germany remains reeling from Sunday's regional election in Saxony-Anhalt, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party captured 44% of votes according to results reported by RFI—a score considered historic for this political force.
The result has put Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU) in an awkward position. According to RFI, CDU officials, described as "shell-shocked" by this setback, are now trying to avoid what the outlet characterizes as "total knockout" in the face of the AfD's advance in this eastern region of the country.
For its part, the AfD appears, according to RFI, "intoxicated by its success." The party may nevertheless encounter difficulties forming a stable majority in Saxony-Anhalt, despite the scale of its electoral performance.
At the national level, Chancellor Friedrich Merz must also contend with growing unpopularity, RFI reports. Nevertheless, his position is not being challenged within his own party, the CDU, at this stage.
Winners and losers from the vote have offered their initial analyses of the results, in a political climate marked by the AfD's continued rise across several regions in eastern Germany.
Sources
- Allemagne: après la victoire de l'AfD en Saxe-Anhalt, Friedrich Merz vacille mais ne tombe pas — RFI — Français
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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