Germany’s Social Democrats, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, emerged victorious on Sunday in the eastern state of Brandenburg, in an election that only just edged out the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The result comes just a few weeks after far-right parties made gains in eastern Germany, raising concerns about shifting political tides.
The final results, released by the state electoral administration, revealed that the Social Democrats gained 30.9 percent of the vote, while the AfD trailed closely at 29 percent.
The newly formed leftist movement, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), secured 13.5 percent, while the center-right Christian Democrats captured 12.1 per cent.
The victory is a much-needed reprieve for Scholz, whose three-party coalition has faced setbacks …