German chancellor faces pressure after far-right party wins in state election

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz was facing pressure Monday after his party was crushed by the Alternative for Germany party in a regional election that could result in it leading the first far-right state government since the Nazi era.The AfD, classified by Germany's domestic intelligence agency as an extremist group in some regions of the country, fell just short of a majority in Sunday's election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. Unlike other countries in Europe, modern Germany hasn’t yet had a far-right or right-wing populist party leading a national, state or major-city government — and due to the country’s Nazi past, far-right movements have always received strong scrutiny.While Sunday's election was only regional, it has major national implications. Merz had vowed to weaken the AfD when he came to office, and the election result shows that he has been unable to deliver on that promise.AfD's strong victory is also a major distraction for Germany and Merz at a time when Europe faces several challenges, including Russia's continued aggression against Ukraine and a suspected sabotage campaign targeting NATO countries, and difficult dealings with U.S. President Don...