Saxony-Anhalt: CDU state deputy Tullner: We are “not an AfD auxiliary force”

Magdeburg. The Saxony-Anhalt CDU state deputy Marco Tullner has clearly spoken out against the election of the AfD politician Ulrich Siegmund as Prime Minister. "We as the CDU should under no circumstances elect Ulrich Siegmund as Prime Minister. We are the opposition and not an AfD auxiliary force," Tullner told the news portal "t-online". Other members of the CDU parliamentary group made similar statements.

Former CDU state parliament member Alexander Räuscher had previously spoken out in favor of Siegmund's election. "The election results require that Mr. Siegmund become Prime Minister. The CDU should make his election possible," said Räuscher to the "Tagesspiegel". The CDU should vote for Siegmund because the electorate wants it. "I would have a stomach ache to vote for Siegmund in the state parliament, but I would do it. We have to go through it now," said Räuscher, who has repeatedly sparked controversy with his statements in the past.

Siegmund only wants to stand for election as Prime Minister in the first round of voting in December. For the necessary majority he needs at least 42 votes in parliament, his AfD has 39. The BSW has announced that it will abstain. This would mean that Siegmund would have to rely on three votes from other ranks.

The newly elected President of the State Parliament, Tobias Rausch (AfD), recently emphasized that, in his own opinion, he came into office with votes from the CDU. When asked by the “Nius” portal whether he had also been elected by CDU MPs, Rausch said: “Yes.” When asked by the German Press Agency whether Siegmund could also expect four votes from the CDU parliamentary group in the election for Prime Minister, Rausch said that this had been agreed upon. “We’ll only be smarter when it happens.”