First far-right AfD mayor elected in German state of Saxony-Anhalt

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has won an election for a full-time mayor for the first time in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, its second election victory in a week.

In the run-off election on Sunday, AfD member of the state parliament Hannes Loth prevailed over the independent candidate Nils Naumann to become mayor of the small town of Raguhn-Jeßnitz.

The 42-year-old Loth received 51.13% of the votes, the town announced on its Facebook page on Sunday. The 31-year-old Naumann garnered 48.87%, according to the preliminary election results.

Voter turnout in the town in the Anhalt-Bitterfeld district was 61.51%, according to the official data. About 7,800 people were eligible to vote.

Only a week ago, Robert Sesselmann became the first AfD district administrator in Germany when he was elected in Sonneberg in southern Thuringia, the state neighbouring Saxony-Anhalt to the south and one of the six that made up the former communist state of East Germany.

Sesselmann's election further fuelled the debate on the current rise of the AfD, which currently ranks around 20% in nationwide polls.