In recent state elections in Thuringia and Saxony, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) surged to the top spot, prompting German chancellor Olaf Scholz to call for mainstream parties to exclude “right-wing extremists”. Preliminary results showed the AfD securing significant support, with 32.8% in Thuringia and 30.6% in Saxony.
Scholz expressed concern over the results and warned of the AfD’s damaging effects on the country. Despite fears that his centre-left SPD might fall from a state parliament for the first time, this did not occur. The mainstream parties have vowed to keep the AfD out of power.
Additionally, a new populist force on the left, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), secured a considerable number of votes and could play a key role in forming a government in both states. The CDU, leading in national polls and aiming to challenge Scholz in the next general election, won in Saxony and came in second behind the AfD in Thuringia.
The rise of the AfD in the former communist east has been attributed to frustrations with mainstream politics and economic woes in the region. The AfD’s anti-migration and anti-Islam rhetoric resonated with voters, with concerns about Germany’s culture of Holocaust remembrance and atonement also playing a role.
As coalition-building in both states becomes a challenge, the results have sent shockwaves through Germany’s political landscape, casting doubt on the future of Scholz’s coalition government. The rise of the AfD and the BSW signals a rejection of established parties and reveals a growing divide within German society.
Source
Photo credit www.theguardian.com