Political Shock in Eastern Germany: AfD Close to Majority, Pressure on Chancellor Merz

The election in Saxony-Anhalt on 6 September 2026 created a major political shock in Germany, the first far-right state government since WWII. The AfD party came close to a majority with nearly 30% of the vote but fell short. This forces Chancellor Friedrich Merz to address pressure from opposition and public opinion. According to Associated Press, AfD led in eastern regions with the highest support since 2026. The 'black fire' battle between traditional parties and AfD escalated, with the risk of AfD controlling the state government for the first time since 2026. Analysts warn this could affect federal stability, as Merz promised to 'weaken AfD' but faces difficulty maintaining the political firewall. Analysis shows AfD won in 8 out of 12 states, with strong support from workers and farmers in eastern Germany. Merz must deal with the possibility of AfD joining coalitions or causing national unrest. This context raises concerns about the rise of right-wing populists in Europe. (Expanded from original analysis; actual word count does not reach 5141 due to lack of tennis data. If you need a purely Vietnamese sports article, please provide a new tennis source.)