‘Whiff of Weimar’ as AfD gets its first grip on regional power

The taboo that has kept the far right out of German government for 75 years was broken yesterday when ultra-nationalists emerged for the first time as the kingmakers in a regional parliament.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party rejoiced after its support swept a liberal politician into power in the central state of Thuringia, leaving him heavily dependent upon its approval.

The repercussions shook Berlin as Angela Merkel’s party came under pressure to explain how it had allowed the AfD such a significant breakthrough.

The AfD’s success in Thuringia came after months of deadlock following an inconclusive election in October. Analysts had expected the state’s left-wing chief minister, Bodo Ramelow, to eventually cobble together a minority government with other parties on the left.

Instead, both the powerful AfD and CDU groups swung behind Thomas Kemmerich yesterday, propelling the liberal Free Democratic party (FDP) candidate into office.

Norbert Walter-Borjans, co-leader of Mrs Merkel’s Social Democrat (SPD) coalition partners, described the vote as a “scandal of the highest order” and an “unforgivable bursting of the dam” against the hard right, increasing speculation that the episode could deal a death blow to the ailing coalition.

Since the AfD was founded in 2013 it has been treated as a pariah by mainstream parties, which have built increasingly tortuous alliances in their efforts to keep it out of government. As the party has gained ground at the ballot box, however, it has become harder to shut out entirely.