Germany's Regional Elections Highlight Far-Right Gains and Coalition Challenges

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German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has voiced concern following regional elections where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) made significant gains. The AfD won a state legislature in Thuringia and placed a close second in Saxony, marking a historic achievement for a far-right party in post-World War II Germany.

Scholz described the results as "bitter" and stressed the need for mainstream parties to form governments without the involvement of "right-wing extremists." While the AfD is unlikely to govern due to the refusal of other parties to collaborate, its strong performance could allow it to influence decisions requiring a two-thirds majority, such as judicial appointments.

The election results also posed challenges for Scholz's coalition. All three ruling parties—his Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens, and the Free Democrats—lost votes. However, the SPD managed to stay above the 5 percent threshold needed to remain in the state parliaments.

A new political force, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), performed well, surpassing all three coalition partners in its first state elections and securing third place. The results may increase pressure on the government to adopt tougher stances on immigration and reassess its policies on Ukraine, key issues that dominated the campaign.