The far-right party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) is “very, very close” to coming to power, its deputy parliamentary leader told the BBC after the party’s historic election victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Preliminary results released on Sunday show the party fell just three seats short of an absolute majority, winning 43.8% of the vote. It is now seeking support from other parties or individual lawmakers in order to govern.
While most German political parties refuse to cooperate with the AfD, Beatrix von Storch called on the party’s opponents to enter negotiations, saying: “You cannot say that I do not accept the will of the people.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was “deeply shocked” by the result, calling it “seismic — not only for the country, but also for my own political party,” adding that he takes it very seriously.
His party, the conservative CDU, saw its share of the vote nearly halved, falling to 17.2% according to preliminary state results.
Merz said there could be no return to “business as usual,” adding that the country needs “deep reforms” and that the CDU needs to “reach people on an emotional level.”
“This election result is seismic not only for the country, but also for my own political party, and I am taking it very seriously,” he said.
No far-right party has controlled a German state since World War II, and governing at the state level would bring authority over the police and local education.
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