By Thomas Escritt BERLIN (Reuters) -After coming second in the Brandenburg state vote on Sunday and winning the Thuringia state election this month, Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party now commands a blocking minority in two regions.

Germany's Social Democrats won in the eastern state of Brandenburg, pushing out the far-right AfD in a tightly contested race.

Germany's ruling party narrowly won the Brandenburg election, edging out the far-right AfD. The AfD saw a historic win in Thuringia earlier this month.

The narrow win by Olaf Scholz’s party came in a state election, the third in a series that was seen as a reflection of the national mood and a snapshot of the government’s popularity.

By Sarah Marsh BERLIN (Reuters) -Polls opened on Sunday in the German state of Brandenburg, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is projected to finish first, aiming to build on recent successes in other eastern states and surpass Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats in this traditional stronghold.

Following AfD’s victory in Thuringia, race in one of smallest German states in terms of population becomes focus of attention