The reactions to the AfD's clear election victory in Saxony-Anhalt are dramatic. "Anyone who wants to place security, the economy and society in the hands of politicians who make Germany a plaything of the great powers and a romantic-neurotic popular belief does not know what they are doing," says the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ). Despite all the justified criticism of the imperfection of the coalition in the Bundestag, one should be grateful to it "for reminding the Germans every day what democratic politics actually is: not destruction, not pure doctrine, but what is possible."
“It is a victory for the AfD, but it is still unclear what it is worth,” concludes Der Spiegel. For the Christian Democrats, the evening represented a "brutal defeat" and, given the crash, it was unclear whether the CDU state chairman Sven Schulze would be able to hold on.
The result could be a “milestone in normalization.”
The Süddeutsche Zeitung addresses the significance of the election results for the future of the AfD. “The AfD election result is seen by some as a milestone in the normalization of the party,” it is said. »For a long time, many of their voters did not identify themselves. That was no longer the case in the election campaign in Saxony-Anhalt. The result will also influence the discussions about the so-called firewall and an AfD ban procedure.
She also attests that Chancellor Friedrich Merz has a dilemma. "If he gets too involved in the difficult post-election talks in Magdeburg, it could provoke resistance from the Saxony-Anhalt Christian Democrats, who don't want anything dictated to them from Berlin," is the assessment. "If he doesn't get involved enough, other regional associations could accuse him of not showing enough leadership in an explosive situation." The SPD is now also facing a dispute over direction.
“Breaking point for reunified Germany”
“According to initial projections, the political center has become a marginal figure,” concludes the editorial network Germany. The election represents a “breaking point for the reunified Germany.” And further: “This election result is a shot across the bow of the great ship of the free-democratic basic order.” Anyone who wants to maintain a democratic center in this country must contribute to this.
The taz says: "The fact that the AfD clearly emerged from this election with the most percentage points, but probably not with an absolute majority, is thanks to the commitment of civil society in Saxony-Anhalt." At the same time, the article calls for "new answers, new alliances and honest questioning of one's own certainties." "And above all, the democratic forces in Saxony-Anhalt now need support instead of defiant fantasies of putting the wall back up."
»The CDU, which has been in power since 2002, is falling dramatically. “Also because of a massive loss of competence,” writes the Magdeburger Volksstimme. "The election campaign lacked fighting spirit, grit and the unconditional will to win." The Union was not a team in the state election campaign; a unified team effort was missing. "The unpopular Chancellor Friedrich was virtually hidden from the population during his few appearances in Saxony-Anhalt."
SPD only supports “the worst”
In the Frankfurter Rundschau, the role of the SPD is particularly criticized. "Instead of consistently fighting for real social reforms, really noticeable income tax relief and better collective wages or pensions, the comrades are bowing down to the point of self-abandonment of government responsibility and trying to sell sick leave from the first day of work as economic progress," it says. “They don’t even realize that they are only encouraging the worst to happen.”
The Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung writes: "In other European countries, a strengthening right has led to their moderation." However, a different kind of disenchantment would also be conceivable: that an AfD would go overboard in the intoxication of its strength. “Saxony-Anhalt could become a warning,” is another possibility. "The best thing would be a third trend: that the election result leads to pulling together and changing course and tone throughout the country, regardless of who is in government." The result could "contribute to a sense of reflection" and lead to "stronger togetherness."
