Germany's far right wins another regional vote, but exit poll suggests it won't govern
An exit poll shows the far-right AfD topping the vote in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but a strong second-place finish by the Social Democrats is likely to keep it out of power there.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has come out on top in a regional election in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, according to an exit poll released after voting. The result marks another electoral success for the party at the state level.
However, finishing first in the vote does not automatically translate into control of the state government. The exit poll indicates that the Social Democratic Party (SPD) secured a strong second-place result, positioning it as the likely leading force in negotiations to form the next state administration.
That scenario would mean the AfD, despite winning the largest share of the vote, is kept out of power in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. If other parties coalesce around the second-placed SPD, it would prevent the far-right party from taking charge of the state government.
The outcome, pending confirmation from final vote counts, fits into a broader pattern seen in recent German regional elections: the AfD posting strong results at the ballot box while other parties continue to find ways to form governments without it. Exit polls in Germany are generally considered a reliable early indicator of final results, though official confirmation is still to come.
