Alternative for Germany, the party founded just three years ago, has gained significant vote share in three states in the elections held on Sunday, showing diminishing popularity for Chancellor Angela Merkel's policies, especially on refugees.
It was in the southwestern states of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate and the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt to elect three new regional parliaments, the so called "Super Sunday" vote was held.
The significance of this vote was that it was the biggest since a record number of refugees came to Germany, so the result shows people are not all happy about Merkel's open door policy towards refugees.
More than 1.1 million refugees, mostly Syrians, have arrived in Europe's biggest economy last year alone, forcing many Merkel supporters to think differently.
Under German electoral law, winning 5% or more of the popular vote guarantees parliamentary representation.
In Saxony-Anhalt, AfD has achieved its biggest success by winning 24% of the vote, becoming the second strongest force, just after Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which has seen losses in all three voting states.
The AfD is now led by Frauke Petry, 40, who is also a chemist and businesswoman.
