Germany news: Far-right AfD makes push in district elections

Article excerpt

Germany's far-right AfD party is making significant gains in Sunday's district elections, which observers view as a preview of September's state elections in eastern Germany. The polling comes as Chancellor Merz travels to London to discuss Ukraine strategy, while Russian President Putin has declined face-to-face talks. The district races will test AfD's appeal beyond its strongholds and offer clues about its strength ahead of the high-stakes eastern state contests.