Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) appealed on Monday to other political parties to support its bid to rule Saxony-Anhalt after the far-right party surged into first place in the eastern German state’s election.
The anti-immigrant, pro-Russia AfD won nearly 44 per cent of the vote, official results showed, an outcome that underlined the deep unpopularity of German chancellor Friedrich Merz’s ruling coalition and also triggered alarm among Germany’s neighbours, France and Poland.
However, the party – which wants to deport immigrants, halt support for Ukraine and ditch the euro – has fallen short of an absolute majority in the state legislature, winning 39 of the 83 seats, and hopes to win over individual conservative lawmakers.
The election result raises serious questions about the long-standing refusal of Germany’s mainstream parties, including Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU), to work with the AfD, a policy known as the “firewall”. The AfD says this is undemocratic.
“Politics always means compromise,” national AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla told German broadcaster ARD, appealing to CDU lawmakers to make a “centre-right conservative majority” in Saxony-Anhalt possible.
Far-right AfD wins key state election, throwing Germany’s politics into uncertain era
The CDU needs to ask itself what conclusions it draws from this disastrous election result, he added.
“Partisan games really ought to be a thing of the past,” he told German radio, referring to the firewall policy.
Merz repeated his party policy on Monday that there can be no co-operation with the far-right AfD.
He said the election result had shaken his CDU party to its core and signalled that a major reckoning was needed, the Bild newspaper reported on Monday.
“This shakes our party to its very foundations. We cannot simply carry on as before, nor can I, nor can the federal government,” Merz said, according to the newspaper.
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, said he hoped to become the state’s leader if his party could build a stable majority in the legislature, and said it would hold discussions with various parliamentary groups there.
The only German party that has signalled readiness to work with the AfD is the populist left-wing BSW, which secured 5 per cent of votes. On Monday it echoed Chrupalla’s criticism of the “firewall” policy.
“Even the mere attempt to forge another ‘firewall’ coalition (by the other mainstream parties to keep the AfD out of power in Saxony-Anhalt) would be an affront to the voters,” said Sahra Wagenknecht, the face of the left-wing populist BSW.
The BSW shares the AfD’s hostility towards mass immigration, which it says undermines local workers’ rights, and also advocates for ending Germany’s support for Ukraine and restoring ties with Moscow.
BSW leaders have signalled they could back the AfD on an issue-by-issue basis and – crucially – abstain in the vote for state parliament, potentially sinking the majority required for Ulrich Siegmund.
“It would be completely undemocratic for the AfD to not be part of the next government,” said Claudia Wittig, BSW leader in Saxony-Anhalt.
Mass deportations, euro exit and Russian gas: the AfD’s plan for power
If the BSW falls short of parliamentary representation, that recalculates majorities and all eyes will shift to the hard left Linke Party.
It took nine per cent support on Sunday and speculation is growing that it could enter an informal support arrangement with a CDU-lead coalition.
That path is considered risky as the CDU has a formal ban on political co-operation with the AfD and Linke.
After an emotional and polarised campaign, the ruling CDU saw its support halved to 18 per cent, leaving it well short of a majority for its outgoing three-way coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Greens.
“Some people call this a dark day for Saxony-Anhalt, but this is democracy,” said Sven Schulze, CDU leader and outgoing prime minister.
Close to tears at times, and with an eye on a record 76 per cent turnout, he told supporters: “The people have sent a signal and it is now for those with responsibility, in Saxony-Anhalt and beyond, to read the runes.”
Voters in eastern German state have blown up post-unification politics
That was a clear swipe at politicians two hours away in Berlin, as was a post-election poll showing 87 per cent of Saxon-Anhalt voters dissatisfied with the government of chancellor Merz.
Just nine per cent of voters in Saxony-Anhalt are satisfied with his work after just over a year in power.
“This is a turning point for our country,” conceded Thorsten Frei, CDU parliamentary party leader in the Bundestag parliament. “We have never had a situation like this before.” Additional reporting: Reuters