The far right takes over the presidency of the Parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, a first since 1945

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party won the presidency of the regional Parliament of Saxony-Anhalt on Tuesday, October 6, for the first time since 1945. Tobias Rausch was elected in the first round with 48 of the 82 votes, four more than expected, fueling suspicions of possible defections from the ranks of the conservatives.

The AfD has 39 lawmakers, and before the vote it had received public support only from the five elected representatives of the pro-Russian BSW party. Rausch promised to listen to differing views and make decisions transparently. The Social Democrats and Greens criticized the election, while several hundred people protested in Magdeburg, calling on the other parties not to cooperate with the AfD.

The vote paves the way for the December election of the head of the regional government. Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s state leader, is seeking the office and then an absolute majority, but he needs at least three lawmakers from other parties. No party has announced its support, while the CDU rejects any cooperation. An AfD victory in forming the government would be a first for postwar Germany, amid Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s weakening position and the unpopularity of his coalition.