The German chancellor Olaf Scholz has urged mainstream parties not to lend support for Alternative for Germany (AfD), the first far-right party projected to win a state election since the second world war.
The AfD won almost a third of the vote in the eastern state of Thuringia – putting the party nine points ahead of the conservative CDU, and far in front of Germany’s three governing parties.
The AfD’s top candidate in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, who is a highly controversial figure in Germany, hailed a "historic victory" and spoke of his great pride. He failed to win a direct mandate for the state parliament, but secured a seat because he was top of his party list.
Mr Höcke’s party has been designated as right-wing extremist and he has been fined for using a Nazi slogan, although the former history teacher denies knowingly doing so.
The result gives the far right its first win in a state parliament election since World War Two, although it has little hope of forming a government in Thuringia because other parties are unlikely to work with it.
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