The AfD being labeled as "the most popular party number one" causes "a sense of unease" or "shivers" at the BSW.
In the Thuringia state election, the AfD, spearheaded by Björn Höcke, emerged as the dominant force with a substantial lead over the CDU. As per ARD and ZDF estimations, the AfD grabbed 31.2% of votes, outstripping the CDU's 33.1%. The CDU trailed behind in a distant second place, with the BSW, founded by Sahra Wagenknecht, securing the third spot. The Left and the traffic light parties endured significant setbacks.
Höcke hailed this development as a "historic triumph," asserting, "We are now the primary people's party in Thuringia. The arbitrary barriers must cease to exist - change can only materialize through the AfD." Alice Weidel, the AfD's leader, echoed these sentiments, proclaiming, "For the first time, we have seized the position of the strongest force in a state election." The AfD's strong showing in the election served as a rebuke to the traffic light coalition, according to Weidel. Regarding the coalition negotiations in Thuringia, Weidel was categorical: "Under standard circumstances, the strongest party initiates the discussions, and that's the AfD. A stable government is no longer possible without our involvement." They plan to reach out to the CDU in both Saxony and Thuringia.
Mario Voigt, the CDU's frontrunner, perceived it as a personal mandate to lead the negotiations. "The CDU holds the strongest position in the political center. We will now engage in the discussions and invite them," Voigt stated on ARD. The SPD, despite facing headwinds from the traffic light coalition in Berlin, secured an impressive result, according to Voigt. Regarding the BSW as a potential coalition partner, Voigt was cautious: "It's essential to remain patient and wait for the final outcome. However, I also view this as a personal mandate to engage in these discussions."
The BSW, the other major winner of the election, harbored aspirations of participating in the government. "We genuinely hope that we will eventually form a cooperative government with the CDU," said Sahra Wagenknecht, the party's founder. They would also likely converse with the SPD. The AfD, however, was met with a firm 'no' from the BSW: "We have consistently maintained that we cannot cooperate with Mr. Höcke." Katja Wolf, the party's chief candidate, expressed her euphoria over the "historic result," going as far as to say, "I'm filled with a sense of awe at this moment."
The SPD reported only slight losses. Georg Maier, the party's leader, acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating, "We must confront these difficulties. It's all about democracy. It's all about Thuringia." Kevin Kühnert, the party's federal chairman, expressed disappointment over the results, saying, "These aren't favorable results, and no one is content with them in the Willy-Brandt-Haus." The election results held messages for federal politics.
Significant losses were incurred by the Left. Thuringia's Minister President, Bodo Ramelow, perceived the task of forming the government with CDU's top candidate Voigt. "The one in the democratic spectrum with the most votes must initiate the discussions and extend invitations. I will support anyone who helps us establish a democratic majority in parliament," Ramelow declared on ARD. Regarding his party's poor showing, Left's top candidate Ramelow acknowledged, "We must evaluate what repercussions to draw from this." At the same time, he commended the high voter turnout in Thuringia: "This is the highest voter turnout the country has ever seen."
The Greens fell short of their initial projections to re-enter the Thuringian state parliament. Ricarda Lang, the Greens' co-chair, denounced the AfD's election triumph as a "historic turning point." "If the AfD has managed to become the strongest force in a state like Thuringia - and I hope that doesn't transpire - then that's a historic turning point for our country," she conceded, visibly disheartened at her party's election celebration in Dresden.
In light of their election success, the AFD's leaders have stated that the Commission should consider adopting implementing acts that facilitate their involvement in coalition negotiations. Alice Weidel suggested, "Given our position as the strongest force in Thuringia, the Commission should reevaluate the rules for application of this Regulation to accommodate our involvement in government formation." Björn Höcke echoed her sentiments, adding, "The Commission shall recognize the people's will and adapt the rules accordingly, allowing the AfD a leading role in negotiations."
