Germany's far-right AfD makes history again in Saxony-Anhalt

On a chilly morning, a crowd of approximately 500 assembled at Cathedral Square in Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt's capital, to convey a message: October 6 is not an ordinary day. Their banners declared "Against Forgetting — Fascism Must Remain a Crime" and "No Cooperation with the Far Right." Parallel to the cathedral, within the state parliament building, Tobias Rausch from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) was elected as the state parliament's speaker at 12:40 p.m., securing 48 votes – 9 more than the AfD's seat count.

This marks a historic moment, as it is the first time a German state parliament has elected a representative from a party classified as right-wing extremist since World War II.

Eva von Angern, a member of the socialist Left Party and the parliament's top-ranking member, presided over the inauguration. She emphasized that dignity is inviolable, encompassing people of various genders, worldviews, religions, and skin colors. Former Federal President Richard von Weizsäcker's quote echoed through the room: "One expresses one's own dignity by respecting the dignity of others."

Rausch, a 35-year-old real estate agent, is not widely known outside Saxony-Anhalt. While described as approachable, he admits to employing friends from his soccer club in his legislative office—a fact that sparked national headlines early in the year due to allegations of nepotism. Despite this, his party nominated him as the state legislature's president. Rausch vowed to serve as the speaker for all parliamentary groups, asserting that rules apply even when the majority changes.

Upon his election, Rausch pledged to represent all parliamentary groups, not just his own. However, not everyone in the state parliament trusts his goodwill. During the first session, the AfD's parliamentary caucus of 39 men and two women took center stage, closely watching the lectern, a deliberate move intended to intimidate. The AfD has strategically positioned the traditional parties around the edges, signaling their dominance.

The September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt was one of the most closely watched regional elections in years, with several hundred journalists, including international ones, in attendance. The AfD emerged as the strongest party, securing 39 of the 83 seats, falling short of an absolute majority by just 3. The CDU, the Left Party, the SPD, and the Greens together held 39 seats, with the Green Party holding a slight edge.

The Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Reason (BSW), founded by former Left Party politician Sahra Wagenknecht, secured five seats but could potentially sway the outcome by voting for Rausch as parliamentary speaker but not for Ulrich Siegmund as state premier.

Siegmund, backed by the BSW, intends to contest in a December state parliament election, with plans to call for fresh elections if he falters in the first round. The political landscape in Saxony-Anhalt is poised for a new era, with the AfD firmly in control and Rausch set to preside over the state legislature.