The far-right party in Germany, Alternative for Germany (AfD), was recognized as the strongest party in the Saxony-Anhalt elections held on September 6, by receiving nearly 44 percent of the votes. This party was clearly far from achieving an absolute majority in the new state parliament and therefore could not govern alone.
Radical approach and unwillingness to compromise
AfD has declared its intention to govern alone from the very beginning. The party believes that to fully implement its programs, including mandatory work programs for refugees and citizen oversight on immigration issues, it must avoid compromise with coalition partners.
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While Germany was considering whether a "firewall" against AfD is a suitable way to preserve democracy, this party has long built its own wall. Radicals have insulted their political rivals, calling them "cartel parties" and somehow equating them with criminal organizations.
Internal tensions and aggressive behavior
Teresa Hausmann from the University of Potsdam says that AfD sees other parties as part of a political elite that must be confronted. On election night, Ulrich Sigmund, the main candidate of AfD, adopted a somewhat softer tone and reached out to all political forces willing to bring about fundamental change, but later emphasized that there would be no compromise from him.
This approach is seen within AfD as a sign of weakness or betrayal of principles. After winning the election, Alice Weidel, co-leader of AfD, strongly attacked the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), accusing it of failing to win in the federal elections. Meanwhile, CDU is recognized as one of the big losers in the Saxony-Anhalt elections.
AfD is currently moving towards attracting voters disillusioned with other parties and is trying to gain power. At the same time, the party is increasingly using harsh and aggressive language and is classified as a "certified far-right organization" by security agencies.
Currently, the only real partner for AfD is the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which has recently entered the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament. This party is also seeking collaboration with AfD, but the radicals quickly attacked this party as well, questioning its stability in governmental collaborations.
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