In the candidate discourse, Kretschmer insists on advocating for immigration restrictions.
Governing figurehead Michael Kretschmer, affiliated with the CDU, maintained his stance on limiting immigration. He proposed reducing the annual intake from approximately 300,000 individuals to a maximum of 40,000 in Saxony. Additionally, he suggested establishing a Saxon border patrol unit as a substantial enhancement to domestic security.
However, the CDU and SPD's coalition partners in Saxony, the Greens, disagreed with this proposal. Justice Minister Katja Meier (Greens) argues that a border patrol is unconstitutional. Collaborator Sabine Zimmermann from the Left Party (BSW) also dismissed ideas for a border patrol, pointing out the federal police's jurisdiction.
While Kretschmer plans to continue with a CDU-led government without the Greens, he didn't entirely dismiss the prospect of working alongside the BSW. Regrettably, he criticized the BSW for holding the requirement of opposing US missile deployment in Germany as a condition for participating in governance.
On the subject of the talent gap, Alfred Pfrengle's replacement Jörg Urban from the AfD criticized Germany for being "frustratingly unappealing" to international skilled job seekers due to insufficient infrastructure, high taxes, and inadequate safety.
On the contrary, SPD's top candidate Petra Köpping accused the AfD of scaring off skilled workers with their extreme right-wing viewpoints.
Once more, Kretschmer emphasized the "Saxon Approach," stating that Saxons would not be governed by anyone – not even from the extreme right, the extreme left, Berlin, or Brussels.
In surveys, the CDU and AfD in Saxony are practically equal. A recent Insa survey for three daily newspapers placed the AfD at 32% and the CDU at 29%. Meanwhile, the BSW is around 11-15%, with the SPD, Greens, and Left all hovering close to 5%. The FDP is in danger of failing to clear the 5% threshold.
The longevity of the current CDU, SPD, and Green coalition is uncertain. A potential alliance between the CDU and BSW, with the SPD as a possible additional ally, would hold a majority. Nonetheless, Kretschmer firmly denies entertaining cooperation with the AfD.
The Greens expressed disagreement with Michael Kretschmer's proposal of establishing a Saxon border patrol unit, suggesting that it's unconstitutional. Despite planning to continue with a CDU-led government, Kretschmer's proposed border patrol would need to be of a width that respects federal police jurisdiction.
