Despite scandals far-right Alternative for Germany come second in EU vote | DW News

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has won the second biggest share of the EU vote in Germany, while the conservative Union parties have retained the biggest vote share. The AfD performed strongest in east Germany, with the party coming first in the region according to preliminary results. That’s despite several scandals ingulfing the party ahead of the vote, including its lead candidate Maximilan Krah saying that the Schutzstaffel, or SS, the Nazis’ main paramilitary force, were “not all criminals“. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats are heading for their worst ever national election result, with coalition partners the Greens and the Liberals also taking a beating. The results paint a grim picture for the government ahead of three state elections in eastern Germany this year, and a general election in 2025. Subscribe: For more news go to: