Saxony-Anhalt: What happens after the election

Berlin is turning to the consequences of Saxony-Anhalt’s election, with the federal leadership of Germany’s parties due to meet and analyze the result. A central question will be how to respond to the AfD’s strong election victory.

CDU lead candidate Sven Schulze is expected in the capital. A press conference with Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Before that, AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, as well as Left Party leader Ines Schwerdtner, are expected to issue statements.

“

An outrage that has nothing to do with the quality of MDR’s reporting.

SPD leader Lars Klingbeil will hold a press conference at about 2 p.m. with the party’s lead candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Armin Willingmann. Green Party leader Felix Banaszak and the state party’s lead candidate, Suse Sziborra-Seidlitz, are due to appear at the same time. FDP leader Wolfgang Kubicki is also expected to speak in the morning. His party failed to return to the state parliament after previously leaving the Bundestag.

“

Government responsibility is not just nice to have.

The German Journalists’ Association defended MDR’s election coverage after AfD lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund accused parts of public broadcasting of contributing to “many fake news” and “a lot of disinformation” during the campaign. He said the AfD wanted to abolish broadcasting fees and terminate the media state treaty.

DJV federal chairman Mika Beuster called the accusation “an outrage” unrelated to the quality of MDR’s reporting. He said public broadcasting, and MDR in particular, guaranteed impartial and independent coverage. Beuster urged MDR’s leaders to resist any termination of the treaty by all available means. Separately, SPD foreign policy politician Ralf Stegner warned his colleagues against questioning the federal government. He said government responsibility was what the party existed for, and warned that a collapse could lead either to a CDU government with the AfD or to a minority government dependent on a right-wing majority.

“

Either the CDU governs with the AfD, which I do not think it will do. Or there is a minority government with a right-wing majority.