Far-right win leaves Germany's Merz shaken as AfD plots path to power - reuters.com

**Far‑right surge shakes Germany’s political establishment**

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged to a historic high in the recent state election in Saxony, capturing 27 % of the vote – its best result ever in a German regional poll and enough to outpace the ruling CDU by a comfortable margin. Though the AfD fell short of an outright majority, its strong showing forced the centre‑right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) into a precarious position, with party leader Friedrich Merckel (​Friedrich Merz) describing the outcome as a “shock” that “we cannot simply move past.” Merz, who has been positioning the CDU as the bulwark against extremism, warned that the result reflects a growing disenchantment among voters over economic anxiety, immigration concerns, and what the AfD framed as “cultural erosion.”

In the aftermath, the CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) have ruled out any cooperation with the AfD, prompting speculation about a possible “Jamaica” coalition (CDU‑SPD‑Green) or a renewed grand coalition with the FDP. Meanwhile, the AfD’s leader, Alice Weidel, hinted that the party is ready to “shape policy from the opposition benches” and is eyeing future coalition talks in other states where it now holds a decisive bloc. Political analysts note that the AfD’s electoral breakthrough could embolden its push for stricter immigration controls, a hard‑line stance on energy policy, and a more overt alignment with Russia’s geopolitical agenda, all of which clash with the EU’s core values.

The ripple effects extend beyond Germany’s borders. Brussels officials expressed alarm that the AfD’s ascendancy could undermine EU cohesion on climate, defence, and sanctions against Moscow, while Washington’s State Department warned that a far‑right foothold in Europe could complicate trans‑Atlantic security cooperation. Russia’s foreign ministry, meanwhile, lauded the outcome as a “reflection of the West’s internal contradictions,” hinting at a potential diplomatic opening. As the CDU grapples with an identity crisis, the election marks a pivotal moment for Germany’s post‑war political consensus and could reshape the balance of power across Europe.