The successor to East Germany's Communist Party has made a late surge two weeks before a national election after its leader stood up in parliament to lash the front-running conservatives for breaking a historic taboo on cooperating with the far right.

Germany’s three strongest parties lost ground slightly in a new poll ahead of the nation’s Feb. 23 snap election, while the far-left Linke cracked the 5% threshold which opens the doors to potentially enter the Bundestag.

Alternative for Germany appears to be heading for its strongest national election result yet this month and is fielding its first candidate to lead the country

Even though the Alternative for Germany is highly unlikely to take a share of power soon, it has become a factor that other politicians can't ignore