German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the results of the two regional elections "bitter" in which the far-right AfD won and his coalition lost, and called on the main parties to form governments without "right-wing extremists".
With its result in the weekend vote in Thuringia, the Alternative for Germany (AfG) became the first far-right party to win an election for a state legislature in Germany since World War II. She remained in second place behind the conservatives in Saxony, results showed late on Sunday.
But the AfD, considered "far-right" by security officials in both eastern German states, is unlikely to govern as other parties have so far refused to cooperate with it to form a majority.
However, the nationalist, anti-immigration and Russia-friendly party could win enough seats in both provinces to block decisions requiring a two-thirds majority, such as the appointment of judges or top security officials, which would give it unprecedented power .
"The results of the AHG in Saxony and Thuringia are disturbing," Scholz said in a statement to the media. He specified that he was speaking as an MP from his center-left Social Democrats (SPD) party.
"Our country cannot and must not get used to this. AfD is damaging Germany. It weakens the economy, divides society and ruins the reputation of our country."
With Germany's national elections a year away, Sunday's results punished Scholz's fractured coalition, which could deepen infighting among the ruling party. All three governing parties lost votes, with only the SPD clearing the 5 percent threshold needed to remain in both provincial parliaments. I BGNES
