Saxony-Anhalt leader Schulze rules out seeking votes from AfD or Die Linke

Sven Schulze, the Minister-President of Saxony-Anhalt, has declared he will not seek votes from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) or the left-wing Die Linke party. Schulze, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), stated in a ZDF television interview that he intends to avoid becoming dependent on either party following the state election on September 6.

"I will not go to the AfD and I will not go to the Left party and ask for votes," Schulze said during the "Markus Lanz" program. He reiterated his stance, emphasizing, "I will not make myself dependent on the AfD and also not on the Left party."

Recent polls indicate that the current coalition government, comprising the CDU, SPD, and FDP, might lose its majority in the state parliament. The AfD is currently leading significantly in the polls and aims to govern alone. An alternative scenario being considered is a minority CDU-led government that might require occasional cooperation with Die Linke on specific issues.

When questioned about potentially tolerating an election by Die Linke in parliament, Schulze indicated he is not focused on such hypothetical scenarios at this stage. He stressed the need to await the election results on September 6. Schulze suggested that if a majority cannot be formed from the center, it is probable that the election of a Minister-President in Saxony-Anhalt could face prolonged delays.