Magdeburg: AfD Politician Elected State Parliament President

In a historic turn of events, Tobias Rausch, a representative of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, has been elected President of Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament, Magdeburg. This marks the first time a member of an extremist right-wing party has held such a position in Germany since Nazi Germany's existence. Rausch secured victory with 48 votes out of 49 cast, garnering support from his own party (39 seats) and the extremist left-wing BSW (5 seats), totaling 44 votes.

The remaining 5 votes were cast against him, with 29 lawmakers voting against, 5 abstaining, and the exact source of the 4 votes in favor unclear.

Rausch, who has been a member of the Landtag since 2016 and a trained real estate agent, had faced accusations of nepotism earlier this year. Despite these allegations, he was elected as the state parliament president. During his inaugural speech, Rausch pledged to serve impartially, stating that the same rules would apply to everyone.

The election outcome has sparked discussions about the future of the AfD party. Ulrich Siegmund, who led the AfD to victory in the state election in September, aims to become the first AfD governor of a German state. The party is also discussing potential cooperation with the BSW, though the specifics remain uncertain. Siegmund has indicated he will campaign in a single round, aiming for an absolute majority.

The new parliament president's inauguration saw symbolic gestures from various parliamentary groups, including a left-wing lawmaker pointing out the declining share of women in the legislature and criticism of the AfD's procedural behavior.