AfD candidate elected speaker of German regional parliament for first time
Although Tobias Rausch's role is largely symbolic, opponents have described the result as a watershed moment.
A month after Germany's far-right AfD party won a significant victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, their candidate Tobias Rausch has become the first speaker of the regional parliament. This marks the first time since World War Two that a far-right party has held the position. Protests outside the building in Magdeburg displayed banners saying, "Never again is now."
Rausch, 35, secured the speaker position with the support of nine other MPs from various parties, despite the AfD falling short of a majority in the recent election. He stated that "the days of political firewalls should be a thing of the past" and rejected the idea of a post-war consensus in German politics not to work with the far right.
The election has been met with criticism. Susan Sziborra-Seidlitz, leader of the Green party in Saxony-Anhalt, called it a "watershed moment" and said, "We will not let ourselves be intimidated, and we will not sit by when rights are curtailed." The AfD is known for being pro-Russian, anti-immigrant, and intolerant towards the LGBT community. Local intelligence classifies the party as right-wing extremist, a label the party denies.
Although Rausch's victory was secured by five MPs from the hard-left BSW, four other unidentified MPs also voted for him. Commentators have questioned if he received support from conservative CDU members, including Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has ruled out working with the AfD. Of the CDU's state MPs, 14 took part in the vote, with only five abstaining as planned.
The AfD remains a controversial party with plans to segregate child refugees in schools and intolerance towards the LGBT community. Rausch, an estate agent by profession, has been a member of parliament for ten years and is seen as a close confidant of Ulrich Siegmund, who is seeking to become state premier in December. Rausch's new role is largely symbolic, but he will now chair debates, control access to the parliament building, and represent parliament at official events.
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