AfD Takes Control of State Parliament in Historic Victory
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, known for its anti-mass migration stance, has achieved a significant milestone by gaining control of a state parliament for the first time in its history. This development follows their substantial win in Saxony-Anhalt last month.
During a secret ballot this week, AfD parliamentary group leader Tobias Rausch was elected as President of the Landtag (Parliament) of Saxony-Anhalt. This moment marks a historical first, as it’s the inaugural instance of an AfD politician holding such a position in a German state parliament. The win comes after the party secured 39 out of the 83 seats available in last month’s state elections.
Interestingly, while the left-wing populist BSW (Citizens’ Initiative for Social Justice) party allocated its five votes to support Rausch—raising his total to 44 votes—he ultimately received 48 votes. This suggests that some parliamentarians may have crossed party lines to support him. Given the disdain other leftist parties have for the AfD, it’s likely that the additional four votes came from members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the center-right party led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
In an attempt to mitigate damage to his party’s image, Merz suggested on Wednesday that another party might have supported the AfD candidate, acknowledging that the CDU would face blame for any such actions.
“We don’t know the sources of the votes for the AfD candidate,” Merz stated. “False flag operations aren’t just a military tactic; they can occur in politics as well. So we should avoid jumping to conclusions.”
If those extra votes did come from CDU members, it would indicate a secretive violation of the party’s long-standing policy against collaborating with the AfD, which has been viewed as unacceptable by the political establishment.
CDU Vice Chairwoman Karin Prien reacted strongly, stating that if it were indeed CDU colleagues supporting Rausch, that would be entirely unacceptable. She reiterated that the party has clear resolutions against cooperation with the AfD.
Despite the controversy, Rausch’s election as the head of the state parliament is seen as a positive signal for the AfD, which aims to establish its first state government by December. Ulrich Siegmund, the lead candidate from last month’s elections, remarked that the recent vote is akin to a rehearsal and a “good sign” for his candidacy to become the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, similar to a governor in the U.S.
Siegmund, who has garnered attention from various media outlets as a potentially dangerous politician and a future chancellor candidate for the AfD, indicated that he would step aside if he cannot secure enough votes for a majority in December.
With enough votes already assured from the 39 AfD and five BSW lawmakers, the ongoing discord within the CDU may enhance Siegmund’s position even further.
Should the CDU experience a clear division at its state party conference in December—between members wishing to engage with the AfD and those insisting on maintaining the firewall—there could be defections. This situation might allow the AfD to form a government without depending on the left-leaning BSW.
The performance of the AfD as it leads the state parliament and government will be a crucial test. The party has been largely in opposition until now but has established itself as the most popular political entity in Germany, with its support steadily rising.
This week, a survey revealed that the AfD surpassed the notable threshold of 30 percent, achieving 30.5 percent support and holding a significant lead over the combined governing parties of Christian Democrats and their Bavarian partners.
Even as public support for the AfD grows, the traditional political establishment continues to put up barriers. The government is already taking steps to restrict future AfD state administrations by withholding federal information typically available to state leaders, and a recent change has also eliminated a long-standing rule meant to protect individual states’ autonomy.
Some private businesses are also participating in the effort to isolate the AfD. BMW, which has historically provided fleet vehicles for the Saxony-Anhalt government and the official limousine for the state parliament president, has recently withdrawn their services. Now, Rausch must find alternative transportation, prompting the AfD to reach out to Elon Musk for a Tesla.
Notably, the decision to withdraw BMW’s luxury sedan service came shortly after their CEO referred to the AfD as “poison.”
