Far-right falls short in key German elections
The nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AFD) has failed to make a widely forecast breakthrough in key regional elections, easing pressure on Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. The AFD made significant gains in two states in the former communist east, but fell short of winning first place amid a late surge for the established parties. Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats held on in Saxony, according to initial projections, despite suffering its worst ever result in its former stronghold, and it must now try to form a coalition.
THE pressure on Angela Merkel was eased last night as the nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AFD) failed to make a widely forecast breakthrough in key regional elections.
The AFD made significant gains in two states in the former communist east, but fell short of winning first place amid a late surge for the established parties.
Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) held on to first place in Saxony with 32 per cent, according to initial projections, ahead of the AFD on 27.5.
Her main coalition partners, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), came first in Brandenburg, with 27.5 per cent, ahead of the AFD on 22.5.
“It is good that the people of Brandenburg have said we do not want the far-right extremists of the AFD to win,” said Lars Klingbeil, the general secretary of the SPD.
“The friendly face of Saxony has prevailed,” said Michael Kretschmer, the CDU regional leader. “This is a great day for our state.”
Alexander Gauland, the AFD leader, said: “Our slogan was ‘20 per cent plus’. We have achieved that and are very satisfied … but yes, we did not come first. There is still a piece missing and the work starts now.”
The AFD led in the Brandenburg polls for much of the campaign and was widely expected to win first place.
But it was held at bay by a late swing towards the established parties amid a dramatic rise in turnout. The result will ease the immediate pressure on Mrs Merkel and her chosen successor as CDU leader, Annegret Kramp-karrenbauer, who has endured a difficult first year in charge.
But the CDU still suffered its worst ever result in Saxony and faces the difficult task of building a new coalition in the fractured regional parliament.
The election leaves the CDU divided, after Mr Kretschmer pulled the party back in the polls by distancing himself from Mrs Merkel’s government.
Despite an unexpected comeback, the SPD suffered significant losses at the hands of the AFD in Brandenburg, a state it has ruled since reunification.
Yesterday’s results came hours after the German president asked forgiveness for the crimes of the Nazis as he marked the 80th anniversary of the start of the Second World War.
“I bow my head before the Polish victims of Germany’s tyranny. And I ask forgiveness,” said Frank-walter Steinmeier at a ceremony in the Polish town of Wieluń, where the first bombs fell on Sept 1 1939.
He used the ceremony to issue a thinly veiled criticism of the AFD. “Anyone who claims that this is all in the past, that the National Socialists’ reign of terror over Europe was a marginal event in German history, casts judgment on himself,” he said.
It was a clear reference to Mr Gauland, who last year described the Nazi era as “a speck of birds--- in 1,000 years of glorious German history”.