The News
A far-right German party could finish in first place in state elections for the first time this weekend. Contests in Saxony and Thuringia, once part of communist East Germany, are expected to boost the AfD, known for its anti-immigration and eurosceptic stances. Anger over a recent stabbing by a suspected Syrian extremist thrust the issue of migration back into the spotlight, which analysts said could boost the AfD.
The elections also saw the rise of a far-left populist party, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, which was only formed in January after its namesake, a well-known firebrand, broke off from her left-wing party. Both groups, however, will likely fall short of being able to form a government without the help of establishment parties.
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