- Urban hopeful for a "turnaround event" or "unexpected victory"
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is aiming to surpass the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the upcoming state voting in Saxony, as party leader Jörg Urban fantasizes about a "blue wonder," drawing parallels to the well-known Blaues Wunder bridge in Dresden. Preliminary figures predicted the AfD would fall just behind the CDU. Urban also expressed his desire to prevent the Greens from returning to the state legislature.
An initial analysis suggests the CDU, headed by Minister President Michael Kretschmer, will secure 31.6% to 31.9%, while the AfD will fetch 30.2% to 31.3%. The BSW is forecast to receive 11.6% to 12.0%, the SPD is predicted to garner 7.8% to 8.4%, and the Greens are teetering on the edge with 5.2% to 5.4%. The Left and FDP are not anticipated to make it into the state parliament, with the FDP failing to even appear in the projections.
Initially, AfD federal co-chairman Tino Chrupalla had set his sights on a 35% polling figure with a bonus percentage for the election. However, the AfD fell short of this aspiration.
Despite falling short of its goals, Chrupalla characterized the outcome in Saxony as "excellent" and "impressive" in Thuringia. "One thing is indisputable: The public is yearning for political transformation - in Saxony and Thuringia." The AfD is eager to engage with all parties, Chrupalla emphasized, emphasizing the significance of respecting the public's mandate for a new government in Thuringia.
Despite falling short of its target in Saxony, the AfD still managed to outperform preliminary predictions, potentially posing a challenge to the CDU's dominance. The AfD's strong showing in both Saxony and Thuringia, as acknowledged by co-chairman Tino Chrupalla, indicates a growing support for the party within Germany's political landscape, represented by the AfD.
