Free Republic

The AfD on Tuesday became Germany's first far-right party to win the post of speaker in a state parliament since World War II, when its candidate was elected in an eastern region. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) took nearly 44 percent of the vote last month in Saxony Anhalt state in the former communist East Germany, easily beating the centre-right CDU of unpopular Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Newly elected state lawmakers gathered for the first time Tuesday in parliament in the state capital Magdeburg to elect a speaker, with the AfD's candidate Tobias Rausch winning 48 votes, with only 29 against...

Watch as a WSJ reporter visits Idaho, where a battle is under way for the future of the Republican PartyThis is an episode of Rooted In, where our reporters take you back to their hometowns to capture the voice of the nation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.Video Transcript Summary ISLAND PARK, Idaho—If you’re trying to understand the ongoing battle over the soul of the Republican Party, a good place to start is out on a lake in eastern Idaho near the Wyoming border. Armed with a fishing rod, of course.I met Jack Nelsen, a lifelong Republican and state representative...