AfD surge in Saxony-Anhalt piles pressure on Germany Chancellor Merz

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was under pressure on Monday after his party suffered a heavy defeat to the Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in a regional election in Saxony-Anhalt. The far-right party, which Germany's domestic intelligence agency classifies as an extremist group, fell just short of a majority in Sunday's vote but emerged far ahead of all rivals.

The result has opened the way for difficult coalition talks and could still lead to AfD heading a state government for the first time in modern Germany. AfD's candidate for governor, Ulrich Siegmund, said he wanted voters to get the change they had backed at the ballot box.

"Very clearly, we want voters finally to get after the election what they voted for," Siegmund told public broadcaster ZDF late on Sunday. "Over 44 per cent voted for political change... and that must be implemented after the election."