Aide to Germany's Merkel seeks to downplay anti-euro party's success in state election

The head of the Alternative fuer Deutschland , AfD, party, Bernd Lucke, celebrates after the first exit polls for the Saxony State election , in Berlin, Sunday Aug. 31, 2014. Exit polls say the party that wants Germany to ditch the euro currency will be elected to a state assembly for the first time. The polls indicate that the party, Alternative for Germany, won 10 percent of the vote in Sunday's elections for the Saxony state parliament. (AP Photo/dpa, Daniel Naupold) (The Associated Press)

BERLIN – A top aide to German Chancellor Angela Merkel is downplaying a new anti-euro party's strong showing in a state election, arguing that it's too early to say its long-term success is assured.

Alternative for Germany won 9.7 percent support in Sunday's election in the eastern state of Saxony, taking its first seats in a state legislature. Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats won, but need a new coalition partner to run the region.

Merkel's party so far has tried to ignore Alternative for Germany, which is shaping up as a threat to its right.

Parliamentary caucus leader Volker Kauder pointed Monday to very low turnout in Saxony and told ZDF television: "They won't be able to do much in a state parliament with being against the euro and against this and that."