Germany: Far-right AfD seeks gains in Saxony, Thuringia vote

Thuringia's leading CDU candidate, Mario Voigt, expressed hope "that many Thuringians will vote and exercise their right to determine the future of our state" as he cast his ballot in the city of Jena.

He said he also hoped for "stable majorities" after elections so that the state could be led forward again.
      
It is important "that we in Thuringia once again tackle the real issues of the Thuringians," Voigt said citing economic development, education policy and internal security. 

The AfD is polling 30% in Thuringia, nearly 10 points ahead of the conservatives in second place, while tying with them in Saxony on around 30-32%. 

Polling stations in Germany's eastern states of Thuringia and Saxony have been open for just over four hours as voters pick their regional parliamentary representatives. Local media reported that polling stations were bustling by mid-morning.

Polls suggest a tight race in Saxony between the center-right CDU and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to be the largest party in the state parliament.

The CDU has led Saxony since German reunification in 1990 and is banking on incumbent state premier Michael Kretschmer to push it past AfD.

Kretschmer has already cast his vote, alongside his wife Annett Hofmann.

In Thuringia, the AfD is widely expected to secure the most votes, where it has been polling about 30%, but not enough for an overall majority.

The anti-immigration, anti-Islam party secured its first mayoral and county government posts last year, and now says it wants to govern at the state level, too.

But it's highly unlikely that any other party will want to go into coalition with the AfD which will limit their chances of power.

Although they may not be obvious partners, the CDU hasn't ruled out working with Sahra Wagenknecht's new leftist populist party, BSW, which has built up a strong following in less than a year. 

Wagenknecht has also run on cutting immigration to Germany and seeking peace in Russia's war in Ukraine.

Saxony Premier Michael Kretschmer, who represents the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), called Sunday's state election a "fateful choice." It was "probably the most important election in 34 years," he said as he cast his ballot in Dresden. 

He said he was grateful to many people who had "voted differently" in previous years but had now opted for the "great force in the civic center" namely the CDU.

“This understanding will enable us to form a government that serves this state,” Kretschmer said, convinced that he will lead the next state government.

Meanwhile, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) top candidate Petra Köpping said this morning that she had a "queasy feeling" as she cast her vote. "Now the voters have to decide," she said.

Köpping stressed that the CDU has been a good coalition partner. "I just hope that there will be a stable coalition again," she added. 

Recent polls show CDU locked in a tight race with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony. According to polls, the coalition of CDU, SPD and Greens that governed the state is headed for defeat.

Foreign policy issues, including resolving Russia’s war against Ukraine, have somewhat dominated campaigning ahead of the Thuringia and Saxony state elections in Germany and could be front of mind as residents cast their ballots on Sunday.

Both the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and far-left populist Sahra Wagenknecht's new BSW alliance have led calls to prioritize peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

AfD politician and Bundestag lawmaker Steffen Janich called for an end to the war for the sake of Ukrainian people.

"You can talk to anyone. You just have to do it. If peace talks are on the horizon, Mr Putin will definitely talk," Janich told DW.

Many voters are hesitant about Germany's support for Ukraine. After the US, Germany has been the largest financial backer of Kyiv's fightback against Russia's invading forces over the past two and a half years.

In Pirna, a small town between Dresden and the Czech border, many voters would prefer Germany not to get involved.

"The most important thing for me is peace, not an arms race, but dialogue," one woman told DW. 

Another female voter said: "I wish for peace in the world and I would like Germany to not get involved in this war anymore."

But others DW spoke with said the state government in Saxony, where Pirna is located, should not be involving itself in foreign policy issues.

"Peace is nice but you shouldn't talk about that to the people here, you should tell it to Mr. Putin," said one male voter. "You really have to think about what the Saxony government can do and what it can't."

Wagenknecht's new BSW based its entire campaign in eastern Germany around peace between Russia and Ukraine.

This has struck a chord in the eastern states, where nostalgia for the region's socialist past remains high, and where there's resentment towards the United States and NATO.

One voter, for example, accused Wagenknecht of effectively being Putin's spokesman in Germany.

According to him, her ultra-left populist party's position chimes with Putin's propaganda. But Wagenknecht rejected this accusation at a recent rally in Dresden.

"Don't let yourselves be fooled by tales that we are Putin's friends, when are the ones advocating for peace and diplomacy," she told supporters.

The Thuringian AfD will not allow journalists to attend their election party. 

Local MDR broadcaster reported that journalists will be able to interview representatives of the AfD party in the Thuringian state parliament on Sunday evening.

According to the party, the decision is in keeping with a ruling by the Erfurt regional court on Saturday. The court had ruled that the AfD must give all reporters equal access to the party after the state election. 

The news magazine Der Spiegel, the Springer brands Bild and Die Welt, and the daily Die Tageszeitung, or taz, had together appealed to the regional court against the exclusion of their journalists from the AfD election party, which they intended to cover. 

Post-election celebrations of political parties on the day of results have traditionally been a focal point for journalists.

DW political correspondent Hans Brandt said that strong projections for the AfD would mean that the far right gains an "official" weight to a great extent, even though it is represented in all regional parliaments.

Winning an election and "forcing others to form a coalition against AfD" would "reshuffle cards" that could have repercussions for Germany.

The founder of the BSW alliance, former Left Party lawmaker Sahra Wagenknecht, has described herself as a "left-conservative."

Her platform is, Brandt explained, "she, herself." She was born in communist East Germany and speaks to people in a manner that appeals to them. 

Brandt said "She is very conservative on social issues" and "her popularity" drives the popularity of her alliance.

A poor showing for the ruling Social Democrats, said Brandt, could be that it never "established strong roots in eastern Germany."

Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party governing coalition has been "bickering" between themselves a lot and that has really "damaged their reputation," he added.

State elections in Thuringia and Saxony begin with polling stations having opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (0600 GMT). 

In Thuringia, some 1.66 million are eligible to vote. In Saxony, that figure stands at 3.3 million.

The first projections will be available after the polls close at 6:00 p.m. (1600 GMT).

 

The elections are likely to have a huge impact on Germany's political landscape.

The rise of the AfD means that for the first time in post-war German history, a far-right party could win a state election.

Such an outcome would be seen as a rebuke for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and threaten his already fractious coalition government.

The regional polls are also viewed as a barometer for the federal elections due next year.

Among the topics that dominated the election campaign are Russia’s war against Ukraine, security and illegal immigration.

Many eastern Germans have fears about the Ukraine war and are skeptical about Germany’s support for Kyiv.

The AfD and BSW have tapped into these fears and opposed support for Ukraine.

The run-up to polling day, however, has been dominated by a heated debate over immigration triggered by a deadly knife attack in the western town of Solingen.

The alleged attacker, a 26-year-old Syrian man, was slated for deportation but evaded attempts by authorities to remove him.

The incident forced the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz to announce new measures to combat armed crime and irregular immigration.

The AfD and BSW have sharply criticized the government and called for a radical crackdown on the influx of illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers.

Saxony is the most populous of the former East German states and has been a conservative stronghold since German reunification.

It is a region of great contrasts. It is known for magnificent Baroque buildings, and internationally acclaimed research — but also for anti-immigrant demonstrations and right-wing extremism.

Saxony is also known for its left-wing extremist tendencies.

The conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has headed Saxony's government since 1990. State Premier Michael Kretschmer has led a coalition government together with the Greens and the SPD since state elections in 2019.

Thuringia, meanwhile, is more rural and the only state currently led by far-left Die Linke, a successor of East Germany's ruling communist party.

The state is famous for its poets, winter sports, scientific research and delicious sausages.

It is a relatively small federal state with only around 2.1 million inhabitants.

Thuringia is one of the strongholds of the far-right AfD. The leader of the AfD Thuringia parliamentary group, which entered the state's parliament in 2014, is Björn Höcke. He belongs to the hard-right, nationalist wing of the AfD, and is considered extremely influential. 

 

Voters in Saxony and Thuringia are casting their ballots on Sunday to elect new state legislatures.

Polls are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. local time (0600 GMT) in both states and close at 6 p.m.

The counting of votes will start immediately after polls close, with the first exit polls expected shortly after.

Far-right and populist parties are set to do well in both states.

Opinion polls show the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is leading in Thuringia and coming a close second in Saxony.

They also project a strong showing for the upstart, left-wing Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW).

Germany’s ruling coalition — comprising Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), the environmentalist Greens and the business-focused Free Democrats (FDP) — is faring poorly in the polls.

While the SPD is polling around 6% in both states, the Greens and the FDP lag even further behind.

nm, dh, sri/wd,rm (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)