Election official scrutinizes potential election mistakes in Saxony
Based on the initial findings of Saxony's state election, the AfD appears to have amassed a veto minority. This empowerment could potentially impede the passage of specific laws within the Dresden state parliament. However, there are allegations of an error in seat allocation, which, if proven, could strip the AfD of their veto power.
The election overseer is considering revisiting the seat assignment in the Saxony state parliament. Various parties and Wahlrecht.de experts have raised concerns about a potential blunder in the new seat allocation. As per Leipziger Volkszeitung's report, an incorrect process was allegedly used for seat allocation. A spokesperson for the election office confirmed the issue and mentioned that it's under investigation.
Under the alternative allocation policy, as per the report, the AfD would lose a seat and consequently, would no longer hold a veto minority in the state parliament. The veto minority allows the AfD parliamentarians to hinder the passage of laws requiring a two-thirds majority from all parliament members. In Saxony, as well as other federal states, constitutional judges and heads of the state audits are selected using a two-thirds majority of all parliament members. Consequently, certain positions could not be filled without the AfD's consent. Additionally, the state parliaments could not disband themselves.
The CDU emerged as the strongest force with 31.9% of the votes according to the preliminary results. The AfD finished second with 30.6%, while the Alliance for Progress and Social Justice (BSW) achieved a remarkable 11.8% from scratch, suggesting they will influence future coalition negotiations. The SPD managed 7.3%, with the Greens coming in at 5.1%. The Left slightly surpassed the 5% threshold, securing their seat in the state parliament through direct mandates in Leipzig. Then, a clause applies that permits them to enter the parliament based on their second vote result, even if they fell below the threshold.
If the seat allocation error is indeed corrected, the AfD would no longer have a voto minority in the Saxony state parliament, potentially making it easier to pass certain laws. Without a veto minority, the AfD would no longer have the power to block laws that require a two-thirds majority in the state parliament, affecting various positions such as the appointment of constitutional judges and heads of state audits.
