AfD Surge in Germany Shakes Coalition and Ukraine Support

Germany's far-right AfD won 43.8 percent in Saxony-Anhalt and over 38 percent in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, eroding the political centre and pressuring Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The party opposes aid to Ukraine and favours restoring ties with Russia, worrying allies about Berlin's reliability. Most parties refuse to govern with the AfD, but its rise unsettles German policy.