Germany’s Alternative für Deutschland have won a landslide victory in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, with exit polls suggesting that the party has garnered more than double the share of its nearest rival, the CDU. 

However, the party may be short of an overall majority – winning 44.5% of the votes according to the polls. The CDU came in on 18.5 per cent, while leftwing Die Linke was third with 9.5 per cent, with the Social Democrats on 8 per cent and the Greens on 9 per cent.

Turnout was far higher than in the last state election, and higher than in any election since 1994, Sky News reported.

Immigration has been a key issue in the state – and has driven support for the AfD who promise to take a hard line on the issue.

The AfD’s leader in Saxony-Anhalt, ‌Ulrich Siegmundhas, already suggested a coalition is on the table, saying his party would ​reach out to all powers that ​wish ⁠to ⁠”pursue better policies”.

“We extend ‌a hand to all democratic ‌forces that wish to pursue better policies,” Siegmund ⁠- adding that migration ⁠and domestic security were ​non-negotiable in any political arrangement.

However, the CDU’s secretary general Franziska Hoppermann said her party would “not collaborate with extremists”.