The far-right AfD, which won the most seats, was blocked by all other parties from taking the role.The parliament in the eastern German state of Thuringia elected Thadäus König of the conservative Christian Democratic Union as its new speaker on Saturday.

The co-leaders of Germany's right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, have agreed that Weidel will run as the candidate for chancellor in next year's federal election campaign.

Lawmakers in the central German state of Thuringia reconvened on Saturday amid a chaotic deadlock between the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and other parties. The AfD made historic gains in September 1 regional elections in Thuringia,

Germany's next federal election is set for September 2025. Alice Weidel was already seen as the overwhelmingly likely candidate. But the final decision won't come until the party conference next year.