Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, said that Alternative for Germany’s victory in the state election in Saxony-Anhalt has “shaken the Christian Democratic Union to its foundations,” but he rejected any cooperation with this party.

Alternative for Germany won the election by securing nearly 44% of the vote and 39 seats out of 83 in the state parliament, but it did not achieve an absolute majority. The party has now asked conservative representatives to support it in forming a government.

Merz called the election result the worst performance of his party in decades and said, “All of us are deeply shocked.” At the same time, he rejected the possibility of resigning and emphasized continuing the government’s reform agenda and support for Ukraine.

Merz also kept the so-called “firewall” policy and his refusal to cooperate with Alternative for Germany. The party wants to limit immigration, stop support for Ukraine, and restore relations with Russia.

If a government is formed by Alternative for Germany, for the first time since World War II a far-right party at the level of a German state will come to power.