Ulrich Siegmund, the smiling ‘popular kid’ who propelled the far right to victory in eastern Germany
The German politician has given his party a friendly image and an optimistic message, but responds evasively when asked about the Holocaust and Nazism
Ulrich Siegmund, a 35-year-old member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), could become the first-ever premier of a German state following his party's strong showing in the recent election. The AfD garnered 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, narrowly missing an absolute majority in the state parliament. Siegmund, if elected, would be the youngest premier in German history and the first far-right premier since World War II.
Known for his unconventional path to politics and his unapologetic stance, Siegmund has gained a following through his candid social media presence and criticism of lockdown measures during the pandemic. Despite scrutiny over his attendance at a meeting discussing the "remigration" of immigrants and a nepotism scandal involving his father's job as a parliamentary staffer, Siegmund remains a prominent figure within the AfD, presenting himself as a more moderate alternative to the party's radical policies.
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- Ulrich Siegmund could become AfD’s first-ever premier of a German state qatar-tribune.com
- Is the AfD’s Ulrich Siegmund Germany’s ‘most dangerous man’? aljazeera.com
