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🇩🇪 Germany /Elections & Politics

After AfD Election Victory in Saxony-Anhalt, Groups Warn of Far-Right Violence

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Anti-extremism groups urged federal support and launched a petition for a “democracy protective shield” after the AfD won Saxony-Anhalt’s state election by a wide margin.
  • Activists warned that racist and far-right violence could intensify and said some residents feared leaving the state.
  • The AfD fell short of an absolute majority, while the CDU finished second and the BSW entered the state parliament alongside the SPD, Greens and Left.

The AfD’s sweeping victory in Saxony-Anhalt has prompted warnings that the state could face a new wave of racist and far-right violence. Initiatives that oppose extremism are calling for support from outside the state, saying Saxony-Anhalt must not be left on its own.

Timo Reinfrank, managing director of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, said federal politics must support and protect people in the state. The foundation has launched a petition for a “democracy protective shield.”

Robert Fietzke, head of the Zora sociocultural center in Halberstadt, predicted a renewed period of racist and right-wing violence. He compared the risk to the “baseball bat years” of the 1990s and said effective police protection could not be expected if the AfD took control of the Interior Ministry in a new state government.

Many are afraid. Many are thinking about leaving the state, even though that would worsen all the effects. But of course no one can blame them for that.

· Robert FietzkeThe head of a sociocultural center described reactions among people who opposed the AfD during the campaign.

“Many are afraid,” Fietzke said. He added that many people who had campaigned against the AfD were now sad and frustrated, and some were considering leaving the state, even though doing so would worsen the effects they feared.

Before the election, the Amadeu Antonio Foundation had warned that an AfD-led government could weaken the rule of law and lead to an “escalation of right-wing violence.” It said the party, classified as definitively right-wing extremist by the state’s domestic intelligence agency, did not plan a “normal change of policy,” but sought to reshape democratic institutions, secure power and reduce social diversity.

Regional Protestant Bishop Bettina Schlauraff said the church regarded itself as a place of protection for people facing discrimination. She called for extensive education, dialogue and counseling to explain how democracy works and why the AfD is considered right-wing extremist. The AfD won Sunday’s election by a large margin but missed an absolute majority. The CDU placed second after heavy losses, the BSW entered parliament, and the FDP failed to win seats.

Someone has to explain to people why the AfD is right-wing extremist.

· Bettina SchlauraffThe regional Protestant bishop called for education and public engagement after the election.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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