German Right-Wing Party Takes Historic Win in Eastern State

Voters in two eastern states elected their new state legislatures on Sept. 1.

Bjoern Hoecke (L), lead candidate of the right-wing Alternative for Germany in Thuringia, and Mario Voigt, lead candidate of the German Christian Democrats wait to speak in a television interview at the Thuringia State Parliament following Thuringia state elections in Erfurt, Germany, on Sept. 1, 2024. Jens Schlueter/Getty Images

Germany’s Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), a right-wing party, secured a historic win in a state election and is within striking distance of another victory in a neighboring state.

The Sept. 1 state-level elections in Germany’s two eastern states were to elect new state legislatures.