AfD’s Historic Win in Thuringia: What It Means for Germany’s Political Landscape
Germany’s anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has celebrated a significant victory in the eastern state of Thuringia, securing nearly a third of the vote in a recent state parliament election. This marks the first time since World War Two that a far-right party has achieved such a result in a German state election, positioning itself nine points ahead of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and far outpacing the three governing parties of Germany.
Despite this historic win, the AfD is unlikely to form a government in Thuringia due to the unwillingness of other parties to collaborate with them. However, the election results indicate growing support for the AfD, which also came a close second in Saxony’s state election, trailing just behind the CDU. The CDU garnered 31.9% of the vote, narrowly beating the AfD and leaving Germany’s governing coalition parties—Social Democrats (SPD), Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP)—far behind.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the results as “bitter” and urged mainstream parties to form state governments without the far-right. He warned that the AfD is damaging Germany, dividing society, and weakening the economy. On the other hand, AfD leaders like Björn Höcke and Alice Weidel have hailed the election outcome as a mandate for change, asserting that a stable government in eastern Germany is no longer possible without their involvement.
The AfD’s rise has been attributed to growing concerns over immigration and asylum policies, with a significant portion of their support in Thuringia coming from younger voters under 30. Recent events, including a fatal attack allegedly involving a Syrian man facing deportation, have reignited national debates on asylum, further fueling the AfD’s narrative.
As Germany approaches its next federal elections, the AfD’s increasing popularity, particularly in eastern states, signals potential shifts in the political landscape. While the party currently lacks the support needed to govern, its influence on policy and state-level decision-making, particularly with a blocking minority in Thuringia, cannot be ignored.
With the CDU unlikely to ally with the far-right and other parties on the left hesitant to form coalitions, the future of state governance in Thuringia and Saxony remains uncertain. The AfD’s stance on issues like immigration and their opposition to military support for Ukraine continue to polarize opinions, raising questions about the direction of German politics in the coming years.
Sunday’s elections have highlighted the growing unpopularity of Germany’s ruling “traffic-light” coalition, named after the red, yellow, and green colors of the Social Democrats (SPD), Free Democratic Party (FDP), and Greens. The recent state elections in Thuringia saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party achieve a significant victory, underscoring the challenges facing the current government. As attention turns to the upcoming election in Brandenburg, the AfD is leading in the opinion polls, although the Social Democrats and conservatives are close behind.
In Thuringia, Björn Höcke, a prominent AfD leader, celebrated his party’s success with supporters in Erfurt, while anti-AfD protesters gathered outside the state parliament. The AfD has been classified as a right-wing extremist party by domestic intelligence agencies in Thuringia and Saxony, and in May, a German court upheld the BfV intelligence agency’s decision to place the AfD under observation for suspected extremism.
The rise of the AfD and Sahra Wagenknecht’s populist party has also impacted other political groups in the region. The Left party, which won the previous election in Thuringia, has now fallen to fourth place. Bodo Ramelow, the Left party’s state premier of Thuringia, who had led a coalition with the SPD and Greens, described the election campaign as being driven by fear and expressed concern over the normalization of far-right ideologies.
As Germany approaches the Brandenburg elections, the political landscape remains uncertain. The growing influence of the AfD and other populist parties reflects a shift in voter sentiment, posing significant challenges for the traditional parties in power.