Tobias Rausch: He is the AfD's first state parliament president

With Tobias Rausch, an AfD politician has been elected to the head of a German state parliament for the first time. The 35-year-old MP is a long-time companion of Ulrich Siegmund, who wants to be elected as the AfD's first prime minister in December. Both were born just a few weeks apart in 1990 and are among a group of very young AfD politicians who entered the state parliament together in 2016. Over the years, they were able to further expand their influence in the Saxony-Anhalt AfD state association.

Siegmund concentrated on the party's external image and became the top candidate, while Rausch, as parliamentary manager, was more concerned with efficient organization. At least in this respect, Tobias Rausch should have the necessary skills for the new task. It was different with his father, Daniel Rausch: He was elected as the AfD's first state parliament vice-president in 2016, but gave up his office shortly afterwards after he seemed overwhelmed while carrying out his duties.

The reference to Rausch's family also leads to the biggest burden that weighs on him: At the beginning of 2026, Tobias Rausch was at the center of the relatives affair in his party because his personal environment benefited extensively from the tax money for the AfD. Three of his siblings and a brother-in-law were employed by two AfD members of the Bundestag from Saxony-Anhalt. Rausch's wife receives a high salary in the AfD parliamentary group. And Tobias Rausch employed four players from the local football club SV 09 Staßfurt as mini-jobbers in his parliamentary office. Rausch, a trained car mechanic and real estate agent, is also the chairman of the association and supports it with funds from his real estate company.

The incident surrounding the football club also shows how far the AfD has come in consolidating its power base in Saxony-Anhalt in recent years. The party is deeply rooted in rural areas, and its representatives take on local notable positions there. According to reports, Tobias Rausch is also well connected with the previous state parliament president, Gunnar Schellenberger from the CDU. Both come from the Salzland district and sit together on the district council there. This should ensure a smooth handover of office.

Schellenberger, who is considered to be the wrong choice due to a number of incidents and peculiarities deep into the ranks of the previous government coalition, has also expanded the state parliament president's influence during his term of office. This could also benefit Tobias Rausch now.