The party is projected to take more than 21 percent of the vote there, about twice as much as in the west. In neighboring Saxony, a prominent member of the party, Jens Maier, declared that Germany's "culture of guilt" over World War II should be considered over. ___LEADERSHIP INFIGHTINGAfD's first leader, Bernd Lucke, left the party two years ago after losing a leadership battle against Frauke Petry. She has been sidelined within the party in recent months by the more radical, nationalist wing of AfD. AfD's opponents have described the party as a far-right or even extreme-right movement, citing the xenophobic views expressed by some of its members.

Source: Fox News September 24, 2017 21:11 UTC