Political vibrations in Saxony and Thuringia: What now?

Political vibrations in Saxony and Thuringia: What now?

Erfurt, Dresden and Berlin are facing new challenges after the turbulent state elections in Saxony and Thuringia. The result of the elections not only shaken the parties in these federal states, but also the federal political landscape in Berlin. It is expected that the government parties are faced with a restless phase in which the search for sustainable majorities is of central importance.

It becomes particularly exciting when you look at the newly ordering party landscape in these regions. The CDU sees itself in a dilemma: no coalition is sought with the AfD or the left. Nevertheless, the CDU could be forced to rethink its attitude. Oliver Lembcke, political scientist from Erfurt, emphasizes that the CDU must consider whether it can open up to work with the Left Party. At the same time, the question arises as to whether the traffic light coalition in Berlin, which faced enormous difficulties on the election evening, is still viable.

The importance of the AfD

The AfD has established itself as a strong political force, especially in Thuringia, where it emerged from the elections as the election winner. The head of the AfD, Björn Höcke, is convinced that a stable government in Thuringia is not possible without the AfD. The AfD is not only seen as a political teammate, but could also have a decisive influence due to its blocking minority. With over a third of the seats in the state parliament, she has the opportunity to block important decisions.

The AfD's view of these results is clear: it sees itself as a representative of the citizens and accuses the other parties ignorance. While the parties seem to have removed from the voters, the AfD has mobilized many voters through its messages and its appearance. This makes the party a factor that has to be expected.

election campaign and populism

The elections in Thuringia and Saxony have shown that populist approaches can have an effect. The AfD and the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) have just gained voices against the established parties. The Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer also relied on topics that were resonance in the voters and held his votes. This development shows that voters are increasingly expecting politics that are closer to their realities of life.

Nevertheless, the question remains how sustainable these developments are. Populism can be dangerous if he questions democratic values ​​and institutions. The Dresden political scientist Hans Vorländer emphasizes the importance of democratic institutions in this context.

Although demonstrations took place against the AfD and their influence, they were unable to slow down the promotion of the party. A remarkable phenomenon is that the turnout in both countries was significantly higher than in the last election. This could indicate that voters are very interested in political changes.

A look at Brandenburg

In a few weeks, the next election will be in Brandenburg, which may reflect the political uncertainties in Thuringia and Saxony. The SPD, which defends the Prime Minister there, could be influenced by what happened in the other countries. A failure of the SPD could lead to a fundamental discussion about the party leadership and the chancellorship of Olaf Scholz.

summarized the political landscape in East Germany by a dynamic interaction between old and new parties and by a electorate that is looking for solutions for pressing questions. The next few weeks will promise to become turbulent while the political actors have to go in search of stable majorities.