AfD wins nearly 44% in Saxony-Anhalt — Deutsche Welle
In Germany, the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won nearly 44% of the vote in the September 6 election in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. It became the strongest political force in the new state parliament, but fell just short of an absolute majority that would have enabled it to form a government on its own.
As Deutsche Welle reports, the AfD insisted from the start of the campaign that its priority was governing alone, without compromises with coalition partners. Its platform includes, among other things, mandatory work schemes for asylum seekers, public migration patrols, and the abolition of state funding for programs supporting democracy and civic engagement.
Rejection of compromises
AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund said on the night after the vote that he was ready to cooperate with political forces that support a fundamental change of course. At the same time, he stressed that he would not make concessions or compromises.
Theresa Gausmann, a political scientist at the University of Potsdam, noted that the AfD views other parties as part of the political elite that must be opposed. According to her, populist parties are characterized by the idea that a single will of the people exists, under which compromise is seen as recognition of several legitimate political paths.
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Limited coalition options
Possible partners for the AfD include the Christian Democratic Union and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW). However, the AfD continues to sharply criticize the CDU/CSU: after the election, party co-leader Alice Weidel said that this political alliance would never again be able to win a federal election.
In Saxony-Anhalt, security authorities classify the AfD as a confirmed right-wing extremist organization. DW notes that among the reasons is the party's denial of the legal equality of German citizens with a migration background.
The role of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance
The BSW entered the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament for the first time and may play a decisive role in forming a majority for the AfD. The party has signaled its readiness for talks and potential cooperation, and the two forces share positions on a number of issues. At the same time, AfD representatives also attacked the BSW after the election, while influential AfD leader in Thuringia Björn Höcke called it yet another cartel party.
AfD parliamentary group leader Oliver Kirchner said that if efforts to form a government fail, new elections will have to be held. Theresa Gausmann believes that at the federal level, the AfD is interested in leading the government of Saxony-Anhalt, but stressed that the party's entry into a coalition would not in itself make it more democratic.
