Can the AfD form a government in Saxony-Anhalt?

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieved a record-breaking election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, garnering over 40% of the vote. However, the party does not have a majority in the state parliament, making it difficult for them to form a government alone. The domestic intelligence agency has classified the AfD as a confirmed far-right extremist, which has made cooperation with other parties unappealing.

AfD leader Ulrich Siegmund announced that he would reach out to potential coalition partners, but claimed that no existing political parties were suitable for a coalition government. In particular, he criticized the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) for refusing to work with the AfD, stating that this failure would likely prevent the CDU from winning another election.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel sharply criticized the CDU, stating that it would not win another election, and that the AfD had been given a mandate to govern. Siegmund emphasized that implementing the AfD's platform was more important to him than the prospect of power, and he was unwilling to compromise.

During the campaign, the AfD's platform focused on tightening asylum and immigration policies, speeding up the deportation of illegal asylum seekers, and making Germany less attractive to immigrants. The party also called for a 180-degree turnaround in migration policy and a radical restructuring of society.

The biggest unknown in this power struggle is the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which campaigns on a left-wing economic platform and has expressed openness to cooperation with the AfD. However, ideological differences prevent the BSW from being considered an attractive partner within AfD circles. Some AfD state politicians have already announced their intention to remain in the opposition if they end up in the opposition, suggesting that a minority government may be a possibility.