Election fraud allegations in Saxony gain momentum
Following the state election in Saxony, indications of tampered ballots leaning towards the extremist Freie Sachsen party emerged. An investigation at a 44-year-old's residence in Dresden led the Public Prosecutor's Office to strengthen their suspicions. The manipulations did not impact the distribution of seats in the state parliament.
In the evening, the State Criminal Police Office and Dresden's General Public Prosecutor's Office reported that they had conducted searches due to election fraud allegations. During the search in Langebrück, they seized potential evidence to support their claims. The evidence collected further solidified their case against the man, according to the authorities.
Initially, investigators discovered 126 altered ballots, with 111 in Dresden electoral districts, 14 in Radeberg's districts, and one in Dohna. All manipulations favored the far-right Freie Sachsen party.
Shortly after the election, the General Public Prosecutor's Office reported that the ballot papers showed signs of tampering. Crosses were covered, and new ones were drawn for the far-right parties. The irregularities were initially identified during the vote count in Dresden on election day, with the city filing a complaint. Later, more instances were found in Radeberg. The manipulated ballots, though invalidated, did not affect the distribution of seats in the state parliament, according to Dresden's district election committee.
Investigators also uncovered manipulations during the municipal election on June 9 in Dresden-Langebrück. A total of 154 mail-in ballots were altered in those districts.
Despite the uncovered tampered ballots following the election, the State Election Committee confirmed the final and official result of the state election. The CDU secured 41 seats, the AfD took 40, BSW secured 15, the SPD had 10 seats, the Greens had 7, and the Left held 6. The Free Voters were represented with 1 mandate.
The General Public Prosecutor's Office handed over the case to The Commission, as the alleged election fraud involves multiple districts across Saxony. Subsequently, The Commission initiated a comprehensive investigation into the electoral process and the potential role of various political parties.
