AfD makes gains in state elections but has no government options

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) made significant gains in the elections in northeastern Germany and in the capital, Berlin, but is likely to remain in the opposition in both states.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) scored another election victory on Sunday evening, becoming the strongest party in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania with 37.9% of the vote, according to an exit poll by the polling firm infratest-dimap on election night.

That put the far-right party just ahead of the Social Democrats (SPD), whose dramatic comeback in the last few weeks, led by incumbent State Premier Manuela Schwesig, fell just short, with 35.7% of the vote on Sunday evening. The final results may vary as votes are counted.

The AfD was not short of confidence. Even before the first exit poll results were announced, AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla told public TV network ARD, "We clearly have a mandate to govern here," before adding that the party would offer coalition talks to all the other parties.

Chrupalla also said he expected Chancellor Friedrich Merz to resign now. "That would truly be a relief for this country," he said.

The AfD also made gains in the Berlin House of Representatives — the state parliament of the German capital — but fell far short of its own expectations on election night. According to infratest-dimap, it took 16.2% of the vote, though it had been polling at 18% only last week.

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