“We are intellectually superior to these men” – the Greens, the Left and the SPD attack the AfD

After the success of the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, the chairmen of three parliamentary groups in the state parliament want to work more closely together. In an interview with “Zeit”, Eva von Angern (Left), Katja Pähle (SPD) and Susan Sziborra-Seidlitz (Greens) criticize the AfD’s performance and at the same time admit mistakes made by their own parties.

The inaugural session of the state parliament was a “shitty day,” said Pähle in the interview. The AfD politician Tobias Rausch had previously been elected President of the State Parliament and Hans-Thomas Tillschneider his deputy.

Von Angern complained that the alliance of democratic parties had broken down. “Some from the CDU have buried it,” she said, referring to the alleged support of Rausch by CDU members.

The left-wing politician emphasized that she was not afraid of the AfD: “We are intellectually superior to these men, they cannot hold a candle to us.” Outside parliament, however, the party is creating “a climate of hostility.”

Sziborra-Seidlitz warns: The AfD is not a normal democratic party and in many places wants to do politics bypassing parliament. The aim is to prevent the worst mistakes and gain influence.

The three politicians want to better coordinate their opposition work in the future. “We even have something as revolutionary as a shared chat group,” von Angern told “Zeit”. She goes by the name “R2G” (red-red-green) and features two red and one green heart emoji.

“When someone writes ‘fat green cow’ about me, it does something to me.”

At the same time, the women admitted that their parties had lost voters. Material concerns alone do not explain the AfD's success, said Pähle. According to Sziborra-Seidlitz, the AfD reached many people emotionally and conveyed an attitude to life.

“Mopeds, free beer, bratwurst – many people felt togetherness,” said the Green politician in an interview. Siegmund is also a good salesman.

They are also concerned about the low number of women in the new state parliament. At just under 22 percent, the proportion of women is lower than in any other German state parliament. Von Angern sees this as a social problem: “Women should be made invisible.” Sziborra-Seidlitz added that female politicians are increasingly exposed to hatred and threats, especially on the Internet. “When someone writes ‘fat green cow’ about me, it does something to me,” she continues.

Can women save democracy? In any case, von Angern is determined: "Charming thesis! I'm in."