Central Council of Jews Warns Against AfD in Saxony-Anhalt

Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, has issued a strong warning against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as the state election in Saxony-Anhalt approaches. He described the party as a "test for the democratic center of our country."

Schuster specifically named AfD candidates, including top candidate Ulrich Siegmund and state deputy Hans-Thomas Tillschneider, as declared opponents of an open society. He argued that their proposed radical policy changes, particularly concerning memory culture, would amount to a repudiation of the Federal Republic's consensus.

The Central Council president stressed that parties of the democratic center must address and take seriously the concerns and needs of the people. However, he firmly stated that "there must be no approach to right-wing extremists out of pure calculation for power." Schuster insisted that the AfD should not be entrusted with political responsibility at any level.

The election in Saxony-Anhalt is scheduled for September 6, with current polls showing the AfD in a significant lead. The party is classified as reliably right-wing extremist in the state. Schuster also called on the federal government to follow the Bundesrat's lead in criminalizing the denial of Israel's right to exist, stating that such remarks should not go unpunished.