Local governments - The AfD exerts influence on the CDU in Thuringia's local legislatures.
AfD's influence set to grow in Thuringia: "It'll be harder to exclude them"
The AfD didn't win big during Thuringia's recent elections, but their presence is set to increase in the region's district councils and city parliaments. Political scientist Oliver Lembcke warned that it will become increasingly difficult to keep them out. He made the comments following local elections in the area, where over a hundred communal representatives were chosen. The AfD didn't manage to win landrat positions but could emerge as the most powerful force in some district councils.
The issue of the wall could become a symbolic burden for the CDU, as Lembcke explained, due to AfD's increasing influence. The Thuringian Association of Municipalities and Cities president, Michael Brychcy (CDU), echoed these sentiments, adding that their incompatibility resolution with the AfD and the Left makes things tricky when dealing with elected AfD representatives in municipal parliaments.
Incidentally, the party known for its right-wing extremist leanings didn't see immediate success in the recent landrat and mayoral elections, but they have a chance to win municipal top posts in nine runoff elections taking place over the next two weeks. However, they only lead by a small margin in the Altenburg district. Meanwhile, an ex-neonazi made it to the runoff in Hildburghausen. His group, the Alliance for the Future Hildburghausen, is now considered the leading neo-Nazi group in the area.
A close contest
The AfD is closing in on the CDU in the communal representations, with eight of 17 district councils and the city council of the free city of Gera seeing the AfD potentially becoming the dominant force. The final counts were still being done on Monday morning, with the CDU leading with 27.6% and the AfD at 26.4%. As the Erfurt counting was incomplete, we can expect a potential shift in the outcome. The Left, SPD, and Greens, who form the Thuringian state government, experienced significant losses.
"The AfD will gain more pressure power," according to Lembcke: this means they'll be able to have a more significant say in decisions, insisting that their ideas and proposals be considered. Lembcke believes they would be able to reverse their exclusion more effectively in municipalities.
Höcke's ambition
AfD leader Björn Höcke had predicted their rise before the elections, indicating he wanted them to become the strongest force in municipal politics. He recognized that a stable foundation at the local level would then allow them to perform on a state political level. Although the AfD has been leading the polls ahead of a new state parliament election on September 1, recent scandals have dented their image and support levels, placing them between 29% and 30%.
From state level to local level
The party's image has been tarnished by controversies in recent weeks, with AfD European election candidate Maximilian Krah making controversial remarks about the SS and a spy affair involving an employee of his. Further, investigations are pending against Petr Bystron, the second-placed candidate on the AfD's European list, for alleged bribery and money laundering.
"The AfD has damaged its image so badly in recent weeks," noted Lembcke, pointing to the multiple scandals that have hit the party.
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Source: www.stern.de
