Today’s Tuesday lesson uses a BBC News world-affairs article on Germany’s far-right AfD after a major state election victory, and the political debate over whether other parties should cooperate with it.
Title: Germany's AfD calls for parties to work with it after Saxony-Anhalt win
Source: BBC News
Published: September 7, 2026
Original article: BBC article link
BBC News reports that the far-right Alternative for Germany, known as the AfD, is pressing other parties to work with it after a historic election result in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. Preliminary results put the party just short of an outright majority, leaving it searching for support from other politicians or parties if it wants to govern.
The result has unsettled Germany’s mainstream parties. Chancellor Friedrich Merz described it as seismic and said his CDU party could not return to business as usual. The article explains the possible paths ahead, including a minority government, another election to break the deadlock, and wider concern about the AfD’s policies and growing national influence.
BBC News 報導，德國極右翼政黨 Alternative for Germany（AfD）在東部 Saxony-Anhalt 邦選舉中取得歷史性勝利後，正要求其他政黨與它合作。初步結果顯示，AfD 距離單獨過半只差幾席，因此若要執政，必須尋求其他政黨或個別政治人物的支持。
這項結果震動了德國主流政黨。總理 Friedrich Merz 形容結果具有「地震級」衝擊，並表示 CDU 不能再像過去一樣照常運作。文章也說明接下來可能出現的局面，包括少數政府、重新選舉以打破僵局，以及外界對 AfD 政策與全國影響力上升的疑慮。
more than half of the votes, seats, or people in a group; enough support to control a decision.
In article: “Sunday's preliminary results show it fell three seats short of an outright majority, with 43.8% of the vote.”
多數、過半數；在票數、席次或人數上超過一半，足以左右決定。
causing a very large and sudden change, especially in politics, society, or an institution.
In article: “Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was ‘deeply shocked’ by the result, describing it as ‘seismic... not just in the country but also in my own political party and I take that very seriously’.”
震撼性的、帶來重大變化的；常用來形容政治或社會上的巨大衝擊。
the authority voters give a party or leader to carry out a policy or form a government.
In article: “Her comments were echoed by AfD's leader in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, who told a news conference on Monday that the party had won a ‘clear mandate to govern’.”
授權、民意授權；選民給予政黨或領袖推動政策或組成政府的權力基礎。
a temporary alliance of political parties or groups that work together, often to form a government.
In article: “Von Storch told the BBC the AfD was talking to individuals within the CDU group - the largest party in both the state's outgoing coalition and Germany's government - because they were ‘very, very unhappy with their own party’.”
聯盟、聯合政府；多個政黨或團體為了共同目標暫時合作，常見於組閣。
understood or accepted without being stated directly; implied rather than openly expressed.
In article: “One idea being floated is an informal deal whereby a small party - the BSW - could give their tacit support to allow the AfD to form a minority government.”
默許的、未明說但被理解的；不是公開表達，卻被視為同意或支持。