Five BSW Seats Decide AfD's Fate in Saxony-Anhalt
The BSW’s five seats could block or enable an AfD-led government as the new Landtag holds a 39-39 split with the anti-AfD bloc, analysts said.
- On Sunday, the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance won five seats in Saxony-Anhalt's 83-member state parliament, leaving the Alternative for Germany with 39 seats and creating a potential kingmaker position.
- The AfD, classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as right-wing extremist, faces a political 'firewall' from the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Greens, and Left, who pledged never to govern with it.
- Within 48 hours of the election, the BSW sent conflicting signals; co-leader Amira Mohamed Ali rejected backing the AfD, while Thomas Schulze expressed willingness to help an AfD governor take office.
- AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund needs three additional votes for an absolute majority; BSW abstentions could deadlock the parliament, forcing pressure onto individual members during the secret ballot.
- Political analyst Volker Resing warned the BSW's decision in Magdeburg 'could now play a decisive role' ahead of state elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin on Sept. 20.
14 Articles
14 Articles
After joining the state parliament, the BSW is remarkably open to many options when it comes to dealing with the AfD. The head of the state congratulates the election winner and relies on project-related discussions - also with the party classified as far-right.
The AfD can count on the support of the BSW in the election as President of the Landtag in Saxony-Anhalt. BSW Landeschef Dittrich justifies the promised votes with a clear claim to the office from his point of view.
BSW and AfD have different ideas about who should be the prime minister. Dresden, Hamburg and other cities plan major demonstrations against the right. All developments after the election in the live blog.
As soon as the votes are counted, the moderator wants to explore whether Saxony-Anhalt could get a government from AfD and BSW. The answer is much more complicated than expected.
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Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left, 37% of the sources are Center
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