A regional politician from Angela Merkel’s party has become the first to break a taboo by saying he is ready to go into coalition with the nationalist Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

Ingo Senftleben, leader of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in the state of Brandenburg, said he was prepared to open talks with the AfD after regional elections next year.

The AfD became the first nationalist party to sit in the German parliament since the sixties after it came third in last year’s general election, and also hold seats in all but two of the country’s 16 regional parliaments.

So far all the mainstream parties have refused to enter talks or share power with the AfD, which they consider far-Right.

But Mr Senftleben said he was prepared to consider a deal with the party if it enabled him to win power.

“If we have the opportunity after the state election, I will open talks with all parties,” he told Welt newspaper. “I do not rule out discussions with the AfD.”