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BackThe Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of restrictions on secret services in the event of a possible AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of restrictions on secret services in the event of a possible AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt
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Tagesschau Inland31 minutes agoPolitics2 min readGermanyView original

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns of restrictions on secret services in the event of a possible AfD government in Saxony-Anhalt

protection of the constitutionafdSaxony-Anhalt

Quick Look

  • The President of the Thuringian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, mentioned preventive restrictions on the exchange of sensitive intelligence information should an AfD-led state government in Saxony-Anhalt raise doubts about secret protection.
  • Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier and Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote expressed similar concerns.
  • After the AfD's election victory with 49.7 percent, SPD district administrator Markus Bauer is calling for talks with the AfD, while Berlin's CDU top candidate Stefan Evers is ruling out cooperation.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

After the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD achieved a clear victory with 49.7 percent, while the SPD only received 7.5 percent. The AfD is classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony-Anhalt. Other parties had previously ruled out a coalition with the AfD.

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The President of the Thuringian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Stephan Kramer, has discussed preventive restrictions on the exchange of sensitive intelligence information in the event of an AfD-led state government in Saxony-Anhalt.

If "concrete doubts arise about the secret protection of a political leadership", the Office for the Protection of the Constitution must be prepared for graduated information rights, the principle of "knowledge only if necessary" and, if necessary, a limited disclosure of particularly sensitive information, Kramer told the Editorial Network Germany (RND).

Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) and Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD) also made similar statements. An AfD state government is a threat to national security.

After the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, a district administrator from the SPD called on the other parties to hold talks with the election winner, the AfD. “The AfD is democratically elected and is clearly the strongest force,” said Markus Bauer, district administrator in the Salzland district, to the news portal t-online. “She cannot now be ignored and excluded.”

The AfD is classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony-Anhalt. “All parties should now talk to each other and explore coalition options,” demanded Bauer. The other parties in the state parliament had ruled out a coalition with the AfD before the election.

Bauer is vice president of the Saxony-Anhalt district council and has been district administrator in the Salzland district since 2014. In the state elections on Sunday, the AfD got 49.7 percent, the SPD only 7.5.

After the election in Saxony-Anhalt, Berlin's CDU top candidate Stefan Evers clearly spoke out against working with the AfD. “The AfD stands for pretty much everything that doesn’t define Berlin,” Evers told rbb. Berlin stands for cosmopolitanism, internationality and cohesion across cultural borders. "The AfD wants to destroy exactly that. And that's why I will do everything I can and everything we have to ensure that there is never any cooperation with this AfD," said Evers.

A new House of Representatives will be elected in Berlin on September 20th.

The CDU in Saxony-Anhalt is reorganizing itself after the disastrous state elections. The previous CDU state leader and Prime Minister Sven Schulze announced a new election of the CDU state executive board for the end of November/beginning of December. Bundestag member Sepp Müller declared that he wanted to run for the presidency. Schulze's political future is unclear.

After the AfD's election victory in Saxony-Anhalt, the German Social Association (SoVD) called on the federal government to correct its planned reform plans. You can read what the association specifically demands here:

Press conferences and protests: How did the day after the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt go? All developments can be read here:

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • The CDU in Saxony-Anhalt will hold a new election for the state executive board at the end of November/beginning of December.

    Very likely · Within weeks

  • There will be talks between the AfD and other parties in Saxony-Anhalt about possible coalitions, despite previous exclusions.

    Likely · Within weeks

Open Questions

  • What specific measures would be taken if there were doubts about secrecy?
  • How would a possible AfD-led state government react to the warnings?
  • What impact would a restriction on the exchange of information have on state and federal authorities?
  • Will the CDU actually elect a new state executive in Saxony-Anhalt?

Related Topics

protection of the constitution
PeopleStephan KramerGeorge MaierAndy GroteMark Bauer
OrganizationsThuringian State Office for the Protection of the ConstitutionEditorial Network Germany (RND)State Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Saxony-AnhaltSocial Association Germany (SoVD)
PlacesSaxony-AnhaltThuringiaHamburgBerlin
TopicsafdSaxony-Anhaltintelligence informationcoalition negotiationsstate electionstephan kramer
This article was originally published by Tagesschau Inland.

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