AfD member becomes speaker of federal state parliament for first time

China News Service, Berlin, October 6. The new parliament of the German state of Saxony-Anhalt (Saxony-Anhalt) held its first meeting on the 6th in Magdeburg, the state capital. Tobias Rausch, a member of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany party, was elected speaker of the parliament. This is the first time in Germany that a member of the AfD has served as speaker of a federal state parliament.

According to German media reports, the 35-year-old Rausch received 48 votes in favor in the first round of voting, with 29 votes against and 5 abstentions. In his inauguration speech that day, he tried to dispel external concerns about the way he performed his duties, promising to perform his duties in a way that transcended partisanship.

According to reports, hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the state Capitol that day to oppose Rausch's appointment as speaker of the state House of Representatives.

The Alternative for Africa party won 43.8% of the vote in the state's parliamentary election held on September 6, becoming the largest party in the state, but it did not obtain an absolute majority. The Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance previously stated that it would support Rausch as speaker on the grounds that according to parliamentary practice, the speaker is usually selected by the largest party group.

Ulrich Sigmund, the Alternative Party's candidate for governor of Saxony-Anhalt, plans to run for governor in December this year. Currently, the Christian Democratic Union, Social Democrats, Greens and Left parties have said they will not support him. The Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance has not yet made it clear whether it will support it. (over)