AfD wants to form a government in Saxony-Anhalt — but how?

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party triumphed in Saxony-Anhalt's recent state election, securing more than 40% of the vote. However, the party lacks a parliamentary majority required to govern independently. Consequently, forming a government in the eastern German state has proven challenging. The AfD has been classified as a confirmed far-right extremist by domestic intelligence agency, which has discouraged other parties from cooperating with them.

Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD's party leader, announced on public broadcaster ARD that he would reach out to potential allies to bring about a political transformation. He acknowledged that there are no suitable coalition partners at the moment, specifically referring to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which currently holds power both in Saxony-Anhalt and at the federal level in Germany. Siegmund and the AfD leadership have criticized the CDU for refusing to work with the AfD.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel sharply criticized the CDU for stonewalling the AfD, stating that the CDU will not win another election. Despite this, Siegmund emphasized that implementing the AfD's platform was more important to him than the prospect of power. The AfD's platform includes tightening asylum and immigration policies, speeding up the deportation of illegal asylum seekers, and introducing a work requirement for other asylum seekers.

Additionally, the party aims to make Saxony-Anhalt and Germany less attractive to immigrants and calls for a 180-degree turnaround in migration policy.

To form a government, the AfD could opt for a minority government, requiring support from other parties. However, the CDU has categorically ruled out any cooperation with the AfD. The Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), another potential player in this power struggle, has shown openness to collaboration with the AfD but is not considered an attractive partner within AfD circles due to ideological differences.