The far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party is riding high in the opinion polls in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt and could win an outright majority in regional elections there in September. It would be the first time a far-right party has held power in a German state since World War Two.
This weekend, the AfD officially adopted what has been described as a 'radical' and pro-ethnic German government programme for Saxony-Anhalt at a party conference in the central city of Magdeburg. The AfD's leading candidate in the state, Ulrich Siegmund, a TikTok star who was given a standing ovation by the delegates, said it was a historic moment, not just for Saxony-Anhalt.
'The whole of Germany is watching this historic election,' he told the conference. 'Parts of Europe are watching this historic election. Parts of the world are watching this historic election, because from here, finally, the political turnaround can also happen here in Germany.'
He expressed that his party had the courage to speak out about what was going wrong in Germany, emphasizing perceptions of insecurity and losing a sense of belonging. The programme, which is more than 150 pages long, includes plans to overhaul Saxony-Anhalt, focusing on clampdowns on immigrants while supporting large families of German origin. It also aims to improve relations with Russia, markedly contradicting the federal coalition government's pro-Ukraine stance.
'We say yes to consistent deportations, we say yes to free childcare facilities, we say yes to remigration,' Siegmund declared. Some proposals may require federal action, but many others are feasible at the state level.
Eva von Angern, leader of the left-wing Linke Party parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt, criticized the AfD's agenda as a 'nightmare scenario for Saxony-Anhalt and for our democracy', arguing that it promotes an authoritarian state that would curtail fundamental rights.
Supported by significant electoral gains in Germany, including second place in the federal elections last year, the AfD is increasingly seen as a serious contender. Observers view the government programme in Saxony-Anhalt as an indication of the direction the party could take if it gains more power nationally.
In 2023, the state branch of the AfD was classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a 'far-right extremist organisation'. With the party's radical manifesto bringing back controversial themes like 'remigration', many in Germany fear severe implications for the political landscape and social cohesion.
This weekend, the AfD officially adopted what has been described as a 'radical' and pro-ethnic German government programme for Saxony-Anhalt at a party conference in the central city of Magdeburg. The AfD's leading candidate in the state, Ulrich Siegmund, a TikTok star who was given a standing ovation by the delegates, said it was a historic moment, not just for Saxony-Anhalt.
'The whole of Germany is watching this historic election,' he told the conference. 'Parts of Europe are watching this historic election. Parts of the world are watching this historic election, because from here, finally, the political turnaround can also happen here in Germany.'
He expressed that his party had the courage to speak out about what was going wrong in Germany, emphasizing perceptions of insecurity and losing a sense of belonging. The programme, which is more than 150 pages long, includes plans to overhaul Saxony-Anhalt, focusing on clampdowns on immigrants while supporting large families of German origin. It also aims to improve relations with Russia, markedly contradicting the federal coalition government's pro-Ukraine stance.
'We say yes to consistent deportations, we say yes to free childcare facilities, we say yes to remigration,' Siegmund declared. Some proposals may require federal action, but many others are feasible at the state level.
Eva von Angern, leader of the left-wing Linke Party parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt, criticized the AfD's agenda as a 'nightmare scenario for Saxony-Anhalt and for our democracy', arguing that it promotes an authoritarian state that would curtail fundamental rights.
Supported by significant electoral gains in Germany, including second place in the federal elections last year, the AfD is increasingly seen as a serious contender. Observers view the government programme in Saxony-Anhalt as an indication of the direction the party could take if it gains more power nationally.
In 2023, the state branch of the AfD was classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a 'far-right extremist organisation'. With the party's radical manifesto bringing back controversial themes like 'remigration', many in Germany fear severe implications for the political landscape and social cohesion.
