Exit polls: Far-right AfD scores historic victory in German state elections

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has surged to first place in state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, exit polls showed, bringing the far-right party within reach of state-level power for the first time since World War II.

The AfD won 44,4 percent of the vote, while Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives were far behind with 18,3 percent, and the center-left Social Democratic Party and the Greens both passed the minimum threshold to enter parliament, according to an exit poll by public broadcaster ARD.

As the vote count continued, it remained unclear whether the AfD had won enough votes for an absolute majority in parliament. But the broader political significance of the election, in which turnout exceeded 80 percent according to public broadcaster ZDF, was clear.

"We have made history in this country," said Ulrich Sigmund, the 35-year-old AfD lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, who has drawn thousands to campaign rallies and has repeatedly presented victory in the state as a first step toward winning federal power in elections scheduled for 2029.

His party wants to strongly restrict immigration, restore ties with Russia, abandon the euro and promote open German patriotism.

The result is a significant blow to Merck, whose personal approval ratings have fallen to historic lows as voters turn against both his planned reforms to revive Germany's sluggish economy and his communication style, marked by frequent gaffes.

AfD co-chair Alice Weidel welcomed the "historic" result, which she said gave the party a clear mandate to govern, but a lengthy coalition-forming process could follow before a clear majority is secured.

All major parties have refused to cooperate with the AfD, which is classified as right-wing extremist by the local office of Germany's domestic intelligence service. However, the AfD could find a partner in the far-left BSW party, if it manages to cross the threshold for entering parliament.

Although Saxony-Anhalt, once part of communist East Germany, is one of Germany's smaller federal states, with just over two million inhabitants, the result highlights the AfD's rapid rise since its founding in 2013, Reuters writes.

In an increasingly fragmented political landscape, the AfD is now the most popular party in Germany at the national level, with support of 28 percent according to a recent poll by the INSA institute, well ahead of the conservatives on 20 percent.

The party is particularly popular in eastern Germany. However, earlier this year it also won around 20 percent of the vote in the western states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate, further demonstrating its growing influence at the national level.

A hard line on migration

While far-right parties have gained strength in other parts of Europe, Germany's Nazi past has contributed to the unwillingness of mainstream parties to cooperate with the AfD, which advocates a tough policy on migration and warmer relations with Russia.

The AfD has dismissed the accusations of extremism as public intimidation and an insult to its millions of supporters.

Sunday's result is a fresh blow to the authority of Merco, whose popularity has plummeted as his coalition government struggles to revive growth in Europe's largest economy.

In an increasingly fragmented political landscape, the AfD is now the most popular party in Germany at the national level, although other parties have rejected the possibility of forming a coalition with it under a policy known as the "firewall".

Nina Varken, a senior Conservative official, called Sunday's result a turning point for the country.