The German far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), could be closing in on power at the state level for the first time since the Nazi regime's defeat in World War II 81 years ago. Polling suggests the party is far ahead of its rivals in Saxony‑Anhalt and, crucially, within striking distance of an outright majority that would defeat mainstream parties' traditional Brandmauer—or "firewall"—against a far-right government. Germany's electoral system of proportional representation means that most governments at the national and regional level are coalitions. The "firewall" is an agreement of non‑cooperation in which mainstream parties do not govern with, or...