German Right Wing Party Takes Historic Win in Eastern State

Germany’s Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), a right wing party, secured a historic win in a state election—its first in 60 years—and is within striking distance of another victory in a neighboring state. The Sept. 1 state-level elections in Germany’s two eastern states were to elect new state Legislatures, the Landtage, which handle local matters—similar to the role of U.S. state Legislatures. Projections place the AfD in the lead in the east German state of Thuringia with around 33 percent of the vote, while a newly-formed leftist party also gained substantial support. Parties representing Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s centrist coalition fell behind both those factions in the state....