(BBC) – The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is “very, very close” to taking power, its deputy parliamentary leader has told the BBC, after a historic victory in elections for the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.
Sunday’s preliminary results show it fell three seats short of an outright majority, with 43.8% of the vote. It is now seeking support from other parties or individuals in order to govern.
While most German political parties refuse to work with the AfD, Beatrix von Storch called for its opponents to enter talks and said: “You cannot say I do not accept the vote of the people”.
Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz said his party, the conservative CDU – which won 17.2% of the vote, according to the preliminary results – was “deeply shocked” by the outcome.
He said it was not possible to return to “business as usual”, adding that the country needed “profound reforms” and the CDU needed to “reach people at an emotional level.
“This election result is a seismic result not just in the country but also in my own political party and I take that very seriously,” he said.
