Historic AfD success in Thuringia – CDU ahead in Saxony
Published: Monday, Sep 2nd 2024, 01:00
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For the first time in post-war history, the AfD, a party classified as right-wing extremist, has become the strongest force in a state election. According to preliminary results, it is in first place in Thuringia. It also made gains in the state election in Saxony, but finished just behind the CDU led by head of government Michael Kretschmer. The new alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) has achieved double digits in both states. It was a bitter evening for the parties of the traffic light coalition in the federal government, which lost votes.
In Thuringia, top candidate Björn Höcke's AfD, which has been classified by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution as definitely right-wing extremist, increased to 32.8% (2019: 23.4%) according to the preliminary official results. The CDU landed at 23.6% (21.7%). From a standing start, the BSW achieved 15.8% - leaving Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow's Left Party far behind, which plummeted dramatically to 13.1 (31.0). The parties of the Berlin traffic light government recorded heavy losses: the SPD recorded its worst result in a state election since the founding of the Federal Republic with 6.1 percent (8.2). The Greens left parliament with 3.2% (5.2), as did the FDP with 1.1% (5.0).
In Saxony, the CDU is at 31.9% after all constituencies have been counted (2019: 32.1%), as the state election administration announced on its website. The AfD is a wafer-thin second with 30.6% (27.5%). The BSW, a split-off from the Left Party, achieved 11.8% from a standing start. The SPD is at 7.3% (7.7). The Left Party achieved 4.5 percent - less than half the votes it received five years ago (10.4). It won two direct mandates in Leipzig and is therefore represented in the state parliament, although it is below the five percent threshold. The Greens narrowly made it into parliament with 5.1 percent (8.6). The FDP misses out - as it did in the last two state elections.
Self-critical tones from the traffic light in the federal government
The figures are a disaster for the traffic light coalition in Berlin: for the SPD, these are the two worst state election results in post-war history. The FDP is not represented in either state parliament. The Greens suffered significant losses in both states.
SPD General Secretary Kevin Kühnert announced a stronger profile for the Social Democrats. It was about "becoming more emancipated". They no longer want to be "danced around on the nose by others who have now been voted out of the state parliaments with a crash", he said with a view to disputes with the FDP and Greens in the traffic light coalition in the federal government.
In the view of Green Party leader Omid Nouripour, the dispute is one of the reasons for the poor performance of the traffic light parties. They must "take a good look at themselves".
FDP leader Christian Lindner wrote on Platform X: "The results in Saxony and Thuringia hurt. But no one should be fooled, because we are not giving up our fight for liberal values."
The deputy chairman of the FDP, Wolfgang Kubicki, called for consequences for the coalition in the federal government. "The election result shows: The traffic light has lost its legitimacy",
BSW party leader Wagenknecht spoke of a tremendous success. Many people were deeply moved by the issue of peace. They rejected the planned stationing of long-range US missiles in Germany. A state government must take this wish into account and campaign for it at federal level. She was not seeking a ministerial office in Thuringia. Their task is to lead the BSW into the Bundestag in 2025 with a strong parliamentary group.
CDU Secretary General Carsten Linnemann saw the elections as a success for his party. He sees "a real remaining people's party", he said. "We are the bulwark."
Höcke wants to govern in Thuringia - but has no partners
In Thuringia, the previous red-red-green minority coalition under head of government Ramelow, which has relied on cooperation with the CDU since 2019, has no realistic chance of continuing to govern. The AfD remains outside the new government, as the other parties have ruled out a coalition.
Nevertheless, Thuringia's AfD leader Höcke believes that his party has a mandate to govern. He wants to talk to the other parties about coalitions, said the 52-year-old, who was fined twice in the first instance a few weeks ago for using a Nazi slogan. Höcke missed out on a direct mandate in his constituency in East Thuringia. However, he will enter parliament via the AfD's state list.
With more than a third of the seats, the AfD has a so-called blocking minority in the state parliament: Decisions and elections that require a two-thirds majority would have to be approved by it. For example, constitutional judges are elected by parliament with a two-thirds majority.
The most likely option for a coalition would be an unprecedented alliance of CDU, BSW and SPD. However, this constellation lacks one seat for a majority in the state parliament. Such an alliance would also be dependent on the Left Party.
Thuringia's CDU leader Mario Voigt sees the forecasts as a mandate to form a government under his leadership, as the 47-year-old said on election night. He announced his intention to approach the SPD and also to be "open to talks" with the BSW.
However, CDU politicians in particular are bothered by the fact that Wagenknecht was a member of the GDR state party SED and later a leading figure of the communist platform in the Left Party. However, a coalition would be possible, as the CDU is not allowed to form a coalition with either the AfD or the Left in accordance with an incompatibility resolution - but the BSW is not covered by this.
Black-green-red in Saxony narrowly without a majority
Saxony has had a CDU-led government since reunification - since 2019, Minister President Michael Kretschmer has headed a coalition with the Greens and SPD. However, after counting all constituencies, the coalition failed to secure a new majority.
None of the other parties want to form a coalition with the AfD, which is also classified as right-wing extremist in Saxony.
An alliance between the CDU, BSW and SPD is therefore on the table as an option. Kretschmer said that his CDU is ready to take on responsibility again and form a stable government.
©Keystone/SDA
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