Germany's centre-right CDU claims governing mandate in Thuringia

The leader of the Christian Democrats (CDU) in the German state of Thuringia said on Sunday that his centre-right party has a mandate to form the next government, despite a projected second-place finish in state parliamentary elections.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to score a clear victory in Thuringia's election, according to exit polls released just after voting ended at 6 pm (1600 GMT) on Sunday.

But other political parties have all categorically ruled out any cooperation with the AfD, decrying the party as too radical and anti-democratic. Voigt underscored again on Sunday that he would not consider any such alignment.

Voigt said the election results called for political change in the state, which has been governed by a left-wing coalition led by Bodo Ramelow of the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party.

"As the CDU, we see this as an opportunity for political change under the leadership of the CDU," Voigt, 47, said at an election evening party in the state capital of Erfurt.

He said he plans on leading coalition talks to form a "sensible government in Thuringia under the leadership of the CDU," and added that he would approach the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), who are projected to finish in fifth place.

He also expressed openness to working with the upstart populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which has mixed anti-immigration stances with left-wing economic policies.