Following its record-breaking success in the state election, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt is aiming to form a government. The AfD achieved its best-ever election result in the state election, winning over 40% of the vote and leaving all other parties behind. However, the party lacks the majority of seats in parliament needed to govern independently. The AfD has been classified as 'confirmed far-right extremist' by the domestic intelligence agency, leading other parties to announce that cooperation with the AfD is not an option, complicating the formation of a government in this eastern German state.
On election night, Ulrich Siegmund announced on public broadcaster ARD, 'As a democrat, I will reach out to all those who wish to work with us to bring about a fundamental political turnaround.' He acknowledged that there are currently no political parties he considers suitable for a coalition government, particularly referring to the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which currently holds power in coalitions in Saxony-Anhalt and at the federal level in Germany. Siegmund and the AfD leadership characterized the CDU's policy of refusing to work with the AfD as a failure.
On public broadcaster ZDF, AfD party co-leader Alice Weidel criticized the CDU for not cooperating with the AfD, stating, 'The CDU will not win another election — not a federal election. And this clearly gives the AfD a mandate to govern. Because we are democrats, we do not refuse to work with others.' Siegmund emphasized that implementing the AfD's platform is more important than the prospect of power, stating, 'There will be no compromise with me.' Leading up to the vote, he expressed a desire to govern alone to initiate a fundamental political change in Germany.
The AfD's political program has sparked heated debates across Germany, as the party seeks to tighten asylum and immigration policies, speed up the deportation of illegal asylum seekers, and introduce a general work requirement for asylum seekers. The party aims to make Saxony-Anhalt and Germany less attractive to immigrants and is advocating for a '180-degree turnaround in migration policy.' During its campaign, the AfD blamed migrants for crime in German cities and for the housing shortage.
Additionally, the AfD plans a radical restructuring of society, including cuts to public broadcasting funding, reductions in democracy project funding, the establishment of a vigilante group against migrants, and opposition to social diversity, as outlined in its platform. Siegmund reiterated that these issues are non-negotiable.
One potential option for the AfD is to form a minority government, requiring support from other parties to advance its policies. Weidel stated, 'Who ultimately forms the government — perhaps through a tolerance agreement or even a coalition — remains to be seen.'
CDU secretary-general Franziska Hoppermann ruled out a coalition with the AfD, stating, 'There will be no cooperation with the far left or the far right.' The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) remains an unknown factor in this power struggle, as it campaigns on a left-wing economic platform and has expressed openness to cooperation with the AfD, though it is not seen as an attractive partner within AfD circles.
As the AfD celebrated its victory, some state politicians indicated they might remain in opposition to keep other parties on the defensive until they secure a majority. Oliver Kirchner, co-chair of the AfD caucus in the state parliament, warned, 'If we end up behind the lectern as the opposition, it will be brutal for the others.'