Scholz worried by far-right surge in regional polls

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Photo by Drew ANGERER / AFP)

Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the results of two regional elections that saw big wins for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and losses for his coalition “bitter” and urged mainstream parties to form governments without “right-wing extremists.”

The AfD became the first far-right party to win a state legislature election in Germany since World War II with its result in weekend voting in Thuringia.

It came a close second behind the conservatives in Saxony, projections late on Sunday showed. But the AfD, deemed “right-wing extremist” by security officials in both of the east German states, is unlikely to be able to govern.

Reuters

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