In the Saxony-Anhalt state election earlier today in eastern Germany, the conservative AfD party won an overwhelming plurality of 44% of the votes, the next largest vote percentage - CDU - was 19%. Four other parties' percentages were all in single digits. Three lesser parties didn't reach the minimum to win a seat.
AfD with 39 seats in an 83 seat state parliament, didn't reach the 42 minimum needed for an absolute majority to rule without allies. Most other parties have sworn not to join a coalition that includes AfD. Politico.eu writes.
The most likely partner is the populist BSW party of Sahra Wagenknecht, which has denounced the “firewall” against the far right as antidemocratic, and looks set to have four lawmakers. But the AfD has also made overtures for CDU members to peel off and join forces.
Actually BSW won 5 seats, exceeding expectations.
In my opinion, AfD is a mixed bag. I support their strong anti-immigrant program but am leery of their modestly (I hope) pro-Russia stance.
As a state government, having a foreign policy isn't a big deal. However Russia's invasion of Ukraine and support of sabotage and social unrest in the EU would seem to militate against getting cozy with the Russians.
More than anything else, Politico sees this outcome as a repudiation of Germany's lax immigration policies, a Merkel legacy. I'm inclined to agree with that assessment.
Later ... Another German state - Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania - votes two weeks from today. The AfD leads the polls there as well.
