German Far-Right Party AfD Claims Historic Victory in Eastern State Elections

In a significant political shift, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has claimed a historic victory in the eastern state of Thuringia. According to exit polls published on Sunday, the AfD secured over 32% of the vote, marking the first time since World War II that a far-right party is poised to enter a state parliament.

Björn Höcke, the AfD leader in Thuringia, expressed his elation over the party's success. "I am overjoyed. I am proud of my state association. I am proud of the many, many volunteers who came to us, especially from the associations in the west of the country, and campaigned here. We have achieved a historic result," Höcke stated.

The AfD's triumph in Thuringia is noteworthy as it is the first time in the party's 11-year history that it has become the strongest parliamentary force. The conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which has traditionally dominated the state, fell to second place with over 23% of the vote.

Höcke warned that forming a governing coalition without the AfD would not be beneficial for Thuringia. "Whoever wants stability in Thuringia has to integrate the AfD," he asserted. However, the AfD's ability to govern is contingent on finding coalition partners, which is expected to be a challenging task given the party's controversial stance.

The AfD's success was also celebrated by its leader in the German parliament, Tino Chrupalla, who interpreted the results as a clear mandate for change. "In Thuringia, we are clearly ahead by over ten percent, which is a clear government mandate, which is actually democracy, something the other parties always talk about," Chrupalla said.

In the neighboring state of Saxony, where state voting also took place, the CDU maintained a narrow lead with 31.9% compared to the AfD's 30.6%. With federal elections just a year away, the AfD is currently in second place in national opinion polls, suggesting a growing influence of the far-right party.

Alice Weidel, the AfD's co-leader, emphasized that without the AfD, a stable government is no longer possible. "Without us, a stable government is no longer possible," she stated.

However, the CDU's Minister President for Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, assured that his party is ready to govern. "We were the rock in the surf, we have kept this coalition together, we have kept this government together, we have brought stability to this state, and we are ready with this result to take responsibility again," Kretschmer said.

The newly formed leftist party led by Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) secured third place in both states, while the Greens, part of Germany's ruling coalition, performed poorly, taking 3.2% of the vote in Thuringia and 5.2% in Saxony.

Omid Nouripour, the party leader for the Greens in the Bundestag, expressed concern over the AfD's strong showing. "My pain this evening is marginal compared to the fact that we have a profound turning point and an openly right-wing extremist party has become the strongest force in a state parliament for the first time since 1949. And that worries and frightens a lot of people," Nouripour said.

Berlin’s mayor, Kai Wegner, of the centre-right CDU, called the results a "wake-up call," highlighting that many people in Germany no longer feel represented by centrist democratic parties.

The inconclusive results in both states indicate that forming a government will be difficult. It is unlikely that any other party will agree to form a coalition with the AfD, given the CDU's longstanding refusal to work with the far-right group.

Despite the challenges, the AfD remains optimistic about forging political alliances. "As the strongest force, we are naturally tasked, according to parliamentary custom, with making the appropriate offers. It remains to be seen whether the established politics and other forces will continue with their failed concepts or if they are willing to engage with us in discussions," AfD Thuringia state spokesperson Stefan Möller said.

AfD MEP René Aust emphasized the party's constructive role in the state. "We humbly accept this result, aware of the great trust that the people of Thuringia have placed in us. That’s why we will hold a state board meeting next week and then invite others to exploratory talks," Aust said.

The results of these elections are seen as a barometer of public sentiment for the current government ahead of Germany's next national election, due next year. The political landscape in Germany is evolving, with the AfD's rise signaling a shift in voter preferences and a potential realignment of political alliances.