Merkel decries AfD win in Saxony-Anhalt as 'shocking' amid PISA slump

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly criticized the AfD's electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt, calling it 'simply shocking' and warning against emotion overriding facts. The development follows poor PISA results, signaling rising political polarization in eastern Germany. The impact is domestic political, with implications for federal coalition dynamics ahead of national elections.