India, Sept. 8 -- lrich Siegmund, a charismatic 35-year-old who gave the far-right Alternative for Germany a friendly face and combined promises of a better future with a touch of nostalgia, has led the party to its strongest showing yet.

The party surged to a resounding victory in Sunday's regional election in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, but fell just short of a majority as it seeks to form the first far-right state Government since World War II.

Siegmund's face was everywhere in posters for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, in a campaign whose motto was "everything is possible." At campaign events, supporters -- some of them wearing T-shirts bearing his image - queued at length for a selfie and a few words with the candidate. A...