German AFD wins landmark victory as a hard-right party tops a regional vote for the first time in the country since the Second World War

Hard-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the first of its ilk to win in the nation since the Second World War, exit polls showed.

AfD took between 30.5% and 33.5% of the vote in the former East German state of Thuringia, with the conservative CDU coming in second place with 24.5% of the vote.

Thuringia, a rural region and the only state currently led by the far-left Die Linke, a successor of East Germany's ruling communist party, was one of two to hold regional elections today, ahead of national elections in 2025, with AfD nearly winning in neighbouring Saxony, a conservative stronghold that is the largest in former East Germany, as well the polls showed.

While the party is unlikely to come to power in either state, as other parties have vowed to coalesce to force the far-right out of power, the result is reflective of the party's growing popularity.

Bjoern Hoecke, the controversial head of the AfD in Thuringia, told the ARD broadcaster his party was the 'people's party in Thuringia'.

'We need change and change will only come with the AfD,' he said, hailing the 'historic result'.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13802403/German-AFD-wins-landmark-victory-hard-right-party-tops-regional-vote-time-country-Second-World-War.html

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/09/historic-shift-right-wing-afd-poised-landmark-victory/