Some observers will hardly recognize the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt today. The majority situation has changed significantly and the election winner - the AfD - wants to make this unmistakably clear. With its historically best election result (43.8 percent), the party is physically positioned in the middle of parliament. The parliamentary group seats of the CDU, SPD, Left and Greens are being pushed to the margins.
If the AfD has its way, the first state parliament session should be the first act of its takeover of government in Saxony-Anhalt. First of all, she wants to have a state parliament president elected from her ranks for the first time in the party's history. The BSW would like to help.
The AfD candidate for the highest office in parliament
The AfD candidate for the office of state parliament president, Tobias Rausch, is a long-time companion of Ulrich Siegmund and one of his closest confidants. The 35-year-old is the chief negotiator in the AfD's exploratory talks. He is therefore instrumental in the AfD's attempt to forge a government for Ulrich Siegmund.
Last week, Rausch described his possible election as “historic” and thanked those who want to make it possible: the BSW. For BSW deputy parliamentary group leader Claudia Wittig, the election of the first AfD state parliament president is a parliamentary “custom, a good old custom.”
Wittig continued that she could not understand “the drama” surrounding the BSW’s commitment to elect Rausch. He “just has to lead the meeting” and “carry out a few representative tasks”.
In fact, the powers of a state parliament president are very far-reaching. He can invite state guests, distribute calls to order in the debate and, as the landlord, he also has "household rights and police power in all buildings".
A state parliament president also has personnel sovereignty over the state parliament administration and can therefore also dismiss and transfer people. As a reminder: AfD candidate Rausch, of all people, was one of the central figures in the AfD's nepotism in Saxony-Anhalt.
Today - for the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany - a politician from a regional association classified as right-wing extremist by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony-Anhalt could hold this important office. If the AfD has its way, this should only be a first step.
The AfD and its secret
Forming a state government could be much more difficult for the AfD than electing a state parliament president. The AfD lacks the votes of three members of other parliamentary groups to achieve its goal. However, all other factions declare that they neither want to form a coalition with the AfD nor elect Ulrich Siegmund as Prime Minister.
Nevertheless, Siegmund was demonstratively confident of victory last week. He is already in “constructive discussions with another state parliamentary group and other members of other state parliamentary groups.” Everything is going very well, says Siegmund.
Bluff or not - that remains Siegmund's secret for now.
One message and several denials
The message to the political competition is clear: Look, you don't have your factions under control! I negotiated past you.
Denials come from the Union and the BSW, among others. Wittig assured that the BSW would abstain from every vote. The incumbent Prime Minister and CDU parliamentary group leader Sven Schulze said in the report from Berlin: "No one will switch from the CDU to the AfD." The AfD also cannot rely on votes from his group.
Creating without a majority
If the AfD still manages to get Siegmund elected Prime Minister in the secret election in December, it would have many opportunities to shape politics even without a coalition partner in a minority government.
The AfD can become powerful in educational policy, culture and association funding even without its own laws, explains constitutional lawyer Sophie Schönberger. The AfD can govern with legal regulations and administrative regulations. A minority government also has many options to shape personnel policy in the civil service, said Schönberger.
The AfD's strategy
But none of this is enough for the AfD federal leadership. The AfD wants to keep the pressure on the CDU high and get them to give up the firewall through constant policy offers.
For the deputy AfD federal spokesman and Höcke confidante Stefan Möller, it is clear: The AfD in Saxony-Anhalt must put CDU program content up for vote in the state parliament, even in a minority government. If the CDU votes against its own program, it would lead to a further loss of importance, said Möller.
Collaboration is not completely ruled out
The Union is aware of the AfD's strategy and states in the report from Berlin that it will not seek any agreements with the AfD. Nevertheless, Saxony-Anhalt's CDU leader Schulze also speaks of "constructive opposition work" and, when asked, does not completely rule out the possibility that his party could pass laws with the AfD.
"We see our role in the opposition and that means we will also look at, on a case-by-case basis, how we behave on individual issues here as the CDU in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt."
Coalition agreement in Berlin prohibits cooperation
In the federal coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, any cooperation with the AfD at state and federal level is excluded. If the Union actually passes laws with an AfD minority government, that would be a mortgage for the federal government.
Neither the SPD nor the CDU have yet commented on Schulze's statements. Those responsible are apparently waiting to see how the prime ministerial election in December might turn out. One thing is also clear: Ulrich Siegmund has not yet been elected. He could fail.
A first mood test
Today, many eyes are focused on the events in Saxony-Anhalt, as the constituent meeting is a first test of mood in a state parliament in which a lot has changed. The politics here could also have an impact on federal politics.
Demonstrators also want to create atmosphere in front of the state parliament. The “resist” action alliance has called for this. The alliance is mobilizing against the AfD and also relies on civil disobedience. The plan is to change the state parliament from all sides, it says in a call.
