Far-Right AfD Wins First Place in German State Elections
In the state parliament elections held in Germany, the far-right AfD finished first with 44.5 percent of the vote.
Following the closure of ballot boxes in the state where 1.7 million voters had the right to cast ballots, initial results were announced, showing the far-right AfD as the leading party with 44.5 percent of the vote.
Closing of Polls and Election Rates
In the state where 1.7 million voters were eligible to vote, the voting process concluded at 18:00 local time, and exit polls were shared with the public.
AfD's Historical Success
According to the first exit poll announced by Germany's primary television broadcaster ARD, the AfD increased its vote share by 23.7 points, placing first with 44.5 percent.
Historical Breaking Point for the Political Order
This result brought to the agenda the possibility of a far-right party becoming a government coalition partner in a German state for the first time since World War II.
This development points to a significant historical break in the political order established in Germany since 1949.
Results Received by Other Parties
While the Christian Democratic Union lost 18.6 points and ranked second with 18.5 percent of the vote, The Left became the third party with 9.5 percent.
The Greens finished the election in fourth place with 9 percent, and the Social Democratic Party in fifth place with an 8 percent vote share.
Those Passing the Threshold and Expectation of Final Results
While the Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Understanding earned the right to enter parliament by taking 5 percent of the vote, the Free Democratic Party remained below the electoral threshold, and the official final results are awaited.