Five BSW Seats Decide AfD's Fate in Saxony-Anhalt
The BSW’s five seats could block or enable an AfD-led government as the new Landtag holds a 39-39 split with the anti-AfD bloc, analysts said.
- On Sunday, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance won five seats in Saxony-Anhalt's 83-member state parliament, holding the balance of power after the Alternative for Germany secured 39 seats.
- The AfD, classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as right-wing extremist, faces a political 'firewall' from the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Greens, and Left, who pledged never to govern with it.
- Within 48 hours of the election count, the BSW's messaging shifted dramatically; co-leader Amira Mohamed Ali rejected supporting the AfD, while Thomas Schulze expressed willingness to help an AfD governor take office.
- AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund requires only three additional votes for an absolute majority; BSW abstentions could deadlock the parliament, forcing pressure onto individual members during the secret ballot for minister-president.
- State elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin on Sept. 20 will test whether the BSW's Magdeburg decision becomes a template. Political analyst Volker Resing warned the party 'could now play a decisive role' in future state governance.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Sara Wagenknecht's alliance (BSW) could help the Alternative for Germany (AfD) come to power in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. It is about a quarreling party that has gone through all the ups and downs in the east of the country.
After joining the state parliament, the BSW is remarkably open to many options when it comes to dealing with the AfD. The head of the state congratulates the election winner and relies on project-related discussions - also with the party classified as far-right.
The AfD can count on the support of the BSW in the election as President of the Landtag in Saxony-Anhalt. BSW Landeschef Dittrich justifies the promised votes with a clear claim to the office from his point of view.
BSW and AfD have different ideas about who should be the prime minister. Dresden, Hamburg and other cities plan major demonstrations against the right. All developments after the election in the live blog.
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- 45% of the sources lean Left
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