IT COULD HAVE been even worse. That was the only consolation for opponents of the hard-right Alternative for Germany (afd), which on September 1st secured its first-ever state-election win, in Thuringia, and in neighbouring Saxony ran the centre-right Christian Democrats (cdu) a close second. At least many anti-afd voters lent their support to the cdu to bolster opposition to the radicals. The Brandmauer (firewall) against the afd remains intact, ensuring it cannot take office. But few could avoid the conclusion expressed by Olaf Scholz, Germany’s chancellor, that the results were “bitter”. Nor the anxiety that attends the start of a lengthy period of coalition talks in the two eastern states.