AfD earthquake in Thuringia and Saxony

The AfD clearly emerged as the strongest force in the state elections in Thuringia, ahead of the CDU led by top candidate Mario Voigt. In the state elections in Saxony, the CDU led by Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer and the AfD are in a close race.

Cheers from the AfD and Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW. Shock and tears from the government coalition parties SPD, Greens and FDP. Only the CDU of party leader Friedrich Merz managed a decent result, even increasing slightly in Thuringia (around 24 percent) according to projections (as of 10:18 p.m.), and remaining stable in Saxony with around 32 percent (as of 10:18 p.m.).

CDU General Carsten Linnemann praised his party as a “bulwark” and “a genuine remaining people’s party”.

No comparison with the rise of the AfD
In Thuringia, AfD state leader Björn Höcke achieved a record result of around 33 percent (projection, as of 10:18 p.m.). The right-wing party is thus the strongest force in the state previously governed by Left Party MP Bodo Ramelow in a red-red-green coalition.

Höcke received more than twice as many votes as the government coalition parties combined. He announced: “We want to govern!” AfD leader Alice Weidel spoke of a “historic day”.

The CDU landed at around 24 percent (2019: 21 percent). According to initial projections, Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW achieved a sensational 15.6 percent. The SPD only managed around 6 percent (2019: 8 percent). The Greens got around 3 percent (2019: 5 percent). The FDP only achieved 1.2 percent (2019: 5 percent) and will no longer sit in the state parliament.

SPD General Kevin Kühnert (“No evening to celebrate”) was pleased that his party at least remained in the state parliament in Thuringia. This shows that “the fight is worth it.”

Ramelow's Left Party also suffered a slap in the face: it plummeted from 31 percent five years ago to a bitter 13 percent.

Mathematically, a coalition government between the AfD and BSW is possible. Sahra Wagenknecht and her state leader Katja Wolf have so far ruled out a coalition with AfD-Höcke. That would leave a coalition between the CDU and AfD - which the Union rejects. Thuringia's CDU leader Mario Voigt said on Sunday evening: "For us, what applied before the election applies: There will be no coalition with the AfD."

How a government is supposed to come into being WITHOUT the BSW? Unclear.

The CDU is ahead in Saxony – but without a partner
According to projections (as of 10:18 p.m.), the AfD became the second strongest force in Saxony with around 31 percent (2019: 27.5 percent), just behind the CDU under current government leader Michael Kretschmer (around 32 percent, 2019: 32.1). The BSW went from 0 to 12 percent.

In contrast, the verdict of Saxony voters on the traffic light parties was devastating. SPD: around 7 percent (2019: 7.7 percent). Greens: around 5 percent (2019: 9 percent). The FDP is only at around one percent (-3.5)

Rhineland-Palatinate's SPD government leader Alexander Schweitzer sees the causes of the traffic light defeat not only in Russia's war against Ukraine and migration but also in the dispute in the Berlin traffic light coalition, Schweitzer told Bild.

As in Thuringia, the Left Party fell into insignificance in Saxony: from 10.4 to 4.5 percent – ​​no seat in the state parliament!

In Saxony, an alliance of CDU and BSW could govern
In Saxony, the incumbent Prime Minister Kretschmer (CDU) is having problems getting a majority together. An alliance of AfD and CDU could govern - which rules out the Union. One option: a coalition of CDU and BSW, if necessary in alliance with the SPD or the Greens.

Source: BZ

Photo: Reuters.