BERLIN (AP) — Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has established itself as a significant political force in the 13 years since its founding, but it has never been part of any state or federal government. That’s a result of what is often called a “firewall” against cooperation with the anti-immigrant, far-right party.

The AfD may not end up controlling Germany's Saxony-Anhalt state despite a landslide election victory, but the far-right party's "dream result" sends a clear message.

The Alternative for Germany appealed on Monday to lawmakers from Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives to support its ​bid to rule Saxony-Anhalt after the far-right party surged into first place in the eastern German state's election.

The "extraordinary" result may be the "most consequential German state-election result of the postwar era," according to analysts.

This idea challenges the deeply held and decades-long German memory culture that insists people must never forget the Nazis’ crimes. The AfD describes German memory culture in its manifesto as a "guilt complex".

Alternative for Germany failed to secure an absolute majority in the state legislature to govern alone and overcome the so-called firewall of mainstream parties' refusal to work with AfD.

By Andreas Rinke and Kirsti Knolle BERLIN, Sept 9 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused the Alternative for Germany on Wednesday of supporting Russia against Germany's interests and advocating anti-migration policies that were tantamount to "ethnic cleansing".