According to official final results, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party secured a victory in Thuringia, outpacing the traditionally dominant Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
In Saxony, the CDU narrowly retained its lead over the AfD, which came in a close second. The newly formed radical left-wing Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) emerged as the third-strongest political force in both states.
The AfD's performance was particularly striking in Thuringia, where it garnered over 30% of the vote, a result that German media described as "historic."
Björn Höcke, the leader of the AfD in Thuringia, declared his party the "number one people's party" in the state and expressed readiness to assume government responsibility. AfD leader Alice Weidel echoed these sentiments, hailing the results as a "historic success."
However, the election results have created challenges for government formation, particularly in Thuringia. A potential coalition led by the CDU is estimated to be just one seat short of a majority, and no other parties are willing to cooperate with the AfD. In Saxony, the CDU may have slightly better chances of forming a local government.
The outcomes have sparked significant commentary in the German press, with many viewing the results as a warning to the country's democratic institutions. Der Spiegel described the situation as a "crisis of liberal democracy," noting that both the AfD and BSW share a deep skepticism of liberal values despite their ideological differences.
Meanwhile, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung emphasized that the results in Saxony and Thuringia should serve as a stark warning to all democrats, particularly highlighting the growing public discontent over migration policies. The results, the publication suggested, are a clear signal to Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government that urgent attention is needed on this issue.
Meanwhile, the New York Times describes the successes of the AfD and BSW as a worrying sign for the health of German democracy, which underscores the weakening of the centrist parties that make up the current federal government. "Many voters in the former Eastern German states rewarded the far-left and far-right parties and punished the ruling coalition in Berlin. It highlights the still-existing differences between the two parts of Germany, many years after reunification," the daily wrote on Monday.
(jh)
Source: IAR