The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party more than doubled its share of the vote in a state election in the west of the country, underscoring its national popularity outside its eastern heartlands.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz’ ruling conservatives, the Christian Democratic Union, won the ballot in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate with 30 percent of the vote, dislodging the centre-left Social Democrats party which received 26 percent of the votes.
The results mark a blow to the Socialist Democrats which had previously held the state for 35 years.
AfD came third with 19.5 percent of the vote, more than double the result it received at the last state election five years ago when it got 8.3 percent.
But the far-right party is consistently tracking strong support in national polls, often vying for first with Merz’ conservative party.
This latest strong showing comes after the AfD came third in a state election in Baden-Wurttemberg earlier March showing that it is making progress in the western part of the country.
This is a developing story to be updated.
