Far-right AfD gains political power in Germany with first local victory.

The far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) has expanded its political influence in Germany, with a candidate from the party being elected to head a government in a small district in Thuringia. Despite various scandals and connections with right-wing extremists, the AfD is surging in polls due to its opposition to immigration and climate protection. The party has been able to present itself as the only "true opposition" to the center-left national government, which has been fraught with infighting. The rise of the AfD has been blamed on the government's drawn-out squabbling over energy policies and the conservative CDU/CSU bloc's adoption of far-right rhetoric.