BAUTZEN, Germany (AP) — Two state elections this weekend in Germany could bring big gains for a far-right party and deliver another blow to the traditional parties that form the national government.

The far-right Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, is eyeing a possible first-place finish in Saxony and neighboring Brandenburg. The votes could further destabilize Chancellor Angela Merkel's national coalition government. The elections also highlight the economic and social issues that still divide Germany more than a generation after its reunification in 1990.

The voting happens just weeks before the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.