Voting began today in two eastern German states, with the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) poised to win state elections for the first time. The AfD’s victory would mark the first time a right-wing party has the most seats in a German state parliament in nearly a century.
Current foreign policy issues, including Russia’s war with Ukraine, are playing a role in the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony.
Opinion polls have shown the AfD leading in Thuringia and in second place in Saxony. Opinion polls have shown that another party, the far-left BSW, is also making a strong lead.
The elections come a week after three people were stabbed to death in a suspected Islamist attack in the city of Solingen, sparking anti-immigration sentiment in Germany.
“Our freedoms are being increasingly restricted, as people who are not fit for the country are being allowed into the country,” Bjoern Höcke, the AfD leader in Thuringia, said, according to Reuters.
Both the AfD and BSW criticise the European Union and have anti-immigration stances, and have strong influence in the former communist-ruled East Germany. Both parties have also criticised Germany’s current government and military aid to Ukraine.
In both states, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party, the Social Democrats, are getting around 6 percent of the vote, while their coalition partners the Greens and the liberal FDP are far behind.
The rise of the far right
The AfD was founded in 2013 as an anti-euro group before becoming an anti-immigration party.
The party won a record 15.9 percent of the vote overall in the EU parliament elections in June.
The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) was formed after the party split from Die Linke in January this year. Like the AfD, Ms Wagenknecht and her party have a supportive stance towards Russia. BSW won around 6 per cent of Germany’s vote in the EU Parliament elections in June. The party is expected to get between 12-20 per cent of the vote in today’s vote, potentially putting it in a kingmaker position in both states.
According to Reuters, BSW supporter Carola Gustavus said, “I especially liked his stance on the Ukraine war, we can’t just keep giving weapons.” She added, “Even the worst opponent needs to be negotiated with.”
