German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called "bitter" the results of two regional elections that saw big wins for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and losses for his coalition, and called on the main parties to form governments without "right-wing extremists".
In elections over the weekend in Thuringia, the AfD became the first far-right party to win a regional parliamentary election in Germany since World War II. The AfD was a close second behind the conservatives in Saxony, projections released late Sunday showed, Reuters reports.
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However, the AfD, considered a "right-wing extremist" by security officials in both East German states, is unlikely to be able to govern because other parties have so far refused to cooperate with it in forming a majority.
Still, the nationalist, anti-immigration and Russia-friendly party could end up with enough seats in both states to block decisions that require a two-thirds majority, such as the appointment of judges or top security officials, which would give it unprecedented power.
"The results of the AfD in Saxony and Thuringia are worrying," Scholz said in a statement to Reuters.
He explained that he was speaking as a representative of his centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
"Our country cannot and must not get used to this. The AfD is harming Germany. It weakens the economy, divides society and destroys the reputation of our country," said the German chancellor.
With a year to go until Germany's national elections, Sunday's results punished Scholz's coalition.
All three ruling parties lost votes, and only his SPD crossed the five percent threshold needed to remain in the parliaments of both federal states.
"The results of Sunday's election are bittersweet - for us too," Scholz said. But he also noted that the more dire predictions, that the SPD could drop out of the state parliament for the first time, did not come true.
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