The Head of the AfD, Weidel, asserts governmental authority.
After the state elections, all parties have turned down a partnership with the AfD thus far. Alice Weidel, the AfD's leader, believes this stance is not set in stone. "There can be no stable majority formation without our party," she stressed. Weidel is hopeful about the AfD's role in government formation following its impressive performance in the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia. "Without the AfD, no stable majority formation is possible," she stated in ZDF's "Morning Magazine." She doesn't think the "undemocratic barrier" can be sustained.
Without the AfD, only left-wing majorities are feasible, which the public doesn't favor, Weidel claimed. If the CDU and BWS in Thuringia weren't to form an alliance with left-wing parties, they'd lose their credibility in the long term. The public, as the ultimate decider, chose a "civic majority of the center-right coalition" in both federal states, Weidel pointed out. She also highlighted that the AfD manages to secure around 30% of the voters' support.
Weidel further mentioned that the traffic light government in Berlin has been ousted. "No one desires this green politics in federal politics, and certainly not in state politics," she added. Paving the way for new elections is now necessary.
Chrupalla: Obey the voter's wish
AfD's co-leader Tino Chrupalla also perceives a "clear voter endorsement" for the AfD's participation in government after the state elections. The voter's preference must be "obeyed," he said on WDR 5. His party is "open to discussions," he assured. "We will converse with anyone who has Thuringia or Saxony's best interests at heart."
Where there's overlap with other parties, "we'll have to see at the end," Chrupalla said. He acknowledged that the CDU has recently leaned towards the AfD's stance on matters like border security and expulsions. In social policy, Chrupalla sees some overlap with the BWS. He mentioned concerns such as the teacher shortage and whether Ukrainian refugees should continue to receive welfare benefits.
The AfD, often perceived as far-right, achieved its best election results ever in the state elections in Thuringia and Saxony. In Thuringia, the party emerged as the strongest force with 32.8%, an increase of 9.4% compared to the 2019 election. In Saxony, the AfD came in second with 30.6%, trailing only the CDU. Both AfD state branches are labeled securely right-wing extremist by the constitutional protection. Both the CDU and BWS have refused to partner with the AfD.
Despite the rejections from other parties, Alice Weidel argues that a stable majority formation in Saxony is impossible without the AfD's participation. Furthermore, Tino Chrupalla, the co-leader of the AfD, maintains that the party's strong performance in the elections warrants a role in government formation, and the voter's preference should be respected.
