‘Alternative’ German party set for parliament

A new eurosceptical party is on the brink of entering the German parliament for the first time, an opinion poll showed, casting doubt on Chancellor Angela Merkel’s bid to maintain her centre- right coalition and complicating her eurozone policy.

Merkel still looks set to secure a third term in Sunday’s general election.

But the Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has risen on a tide of public hostility to bailouts of indebted southern eurozone countries, could further fragment the lower house, forcing her into a right-left “grand coalition”.