The AfD may not end up controlling Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state despite a landslide election victory, but the far-right party's "dream result" sends a clear message.

BERLIN (AP) — Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has established itself as a significant political force in the 13 years since its founding, but it has never been part of any state or federal government. That’s a result of what is often called a “firewall” against cooperation with the anti-immigrant, far-right party.

The Alternative for Germany appealed on Monday to lawmakers from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives to support its ​bid to rule Saxony-Anhalt after the far-right party surged into first place in the eastern German state's election.

The billionaire and the party have developed a symbiotic relationship to spread their far-right views both in Germany and the US

The "extraordinary" result may be the "most consequential German state-election result of the postwar era," according to analysts.

Alternative for Germany failed to secure an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties' refusal to work with AfD.

By Andreas Rinke and Kirsti Knolle BERLIN, Sept 9 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the Alternative for Germany on Wednesday of supporting Russia against Germany's interests and advocating anti-migration policies that were tantamount to "ethnic cleansing".

Friedrich Merz’s conservatives remained the largest party in local elections in the western German state of Lower Saxony on Sunday, but suffered losses as the AfD more than tripled its share of the vote from 2021.