Far-Right AfD Party Poised to Win German State Election in Upset

12:18 PM ETDeveloping

World Desk

In Short: In a historic shift, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is set to win Germany's state of Saxony-Anhalt, potentially becoming the first single-party far-right government in the country's post-war history.

An unprecedented victory for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Germany's state of Saxony-Anhalt is on the horizon, according to reports. This could mark the first time a single party, and a far-right one at that, rules a German state since the Federal Republic was re-established in 1949.

According to the independent website Wahlrecht.de, which tracks federal and state election polling, the AfD currently leads with a 41%-23% margin over the CDU, followed by three leftist parties. This suggests that the AfD could potentially win an outright majority, a feat no single party outside the Social Democratic Party (SPD) or the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) has achieved since 1949.

The party's leader, Tino Chrupalla, has also raised concerns about voter fraud, warning that some senior citizens in nursing homes had their absentee ballots cast and signed for them without their knowledge. This strategy of sowing distrust in political institutions is part of the AfD's playbook, according to political scientist Marcel Lewandowsky.

The AfD's success is not isolated; it reflects a broader trend in Europe, with the party drawing inspiration from the Trumpist and MAGA movements. 'Trumpism and the MAGA movement have undoubtedly been an inspiration and model for many European radical right parties,' said Lars Rensmann, a political scientist at the University of Passau.

However, the AfD's strategy of attacking mail ballots comes at a time when Germany is approaching a potentially historic state election. The party's allegations of voter fraud, while unsubstantiated, could further erode trust in the electoral process. 'Sowing distrust in political institutions is part of the strategy of right-wing populist parties,' said Lewandowsky.

The AfD's rise in Saxony-Anhalt could have significant implications for Germany's political landscape. If they win, it would mark a seismic shift in the country's post-war political order, potentially leading to a far-right government for the first time in its history.

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I think this is a much more important symbol than just saying, OK, (the) AfD will change this or that in its local school system or university system." Schatz described the AfD "a nationalist, anti-immigration party on the far right that has become a powerful vehicle for voter anger at Germany’s political establishment — especially in the former East Germany.
If they don't leave voluntarily, then they must be deported by force." Adding that many of the 1.3 million Syrians in Germany are being naturalized, "we must stop naturalizing these people who should actually be leaving our country.
The AfD, considered one of the most extreme far-right parties in Europe, has surged so far ahead in opinion polls that it could emerge as the dominant political force in Saxony-Anhalt and potentially lead a German state government for the first time, either with an absolute majority or with a junior coalition partner.
Trump himself has voted by mail in recent elections.
“Some components of Trumpism can be shared and exported, such as hostility towards migration and ‘wokeism,’ but it is very clear that national interests that the far-right champion cannot be defended the same way as the American national interests,” said Giovanni Orsina, head of the political science department at LUISS University in Rome.
Set us as preferred BERLIN — Leaders of an extremist, far-right party in Germany have quietly borrowed pages from President Trump’s playbook to cast doubt on the integrity of absentee voting — alleging without evidence that residents of nursing homes have had their ballots manipulated and calling for an end to postal voting.

Sources

Independentlink