The pro-Russian Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has confidently won the parliamentary elections in the eastern German state of Thuringia, the Welt newspaper reports, citing exit poll results from the Infratest Dimap institute.
According to preliminary estimates, the AfD, led by Bjorna HoeckeThe party’s leading candidate for prime minister of Thuringia, won 30.5% of the popular vote, comfortably ahead of the second-placed Christian Democratic Union (CDU) with 24.5%. In third place is the “Union” Sara Wagenknecht – for reason and justice”: In the first elections to the Landtag of Thuringia, the political party founded at the beginning of this year won the support of 16 percent of the electorate.
Next is the Left Party, led by the current Prime Minister. Bodo Ramelovbehind former Alliance party member Sarah Wagenknecht by almost 4 percentage points (12.5%). Chancellor of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) Olaf Scholz The SPD has managed to overcome the five percent barrier required to enter the state parliament, but according to preliminary estimates it will be content with just seven percent of the vote. The SPD’s federal coalition partners, the Greens and the Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), are likely to be excluded from the Thuringian state parliament for the next four years, and neither party will be able to obtain the required five percent of the vote.
“We are the number one people’s party in Thuringia,” said Björn Höcke, head of the AfD’s regional branch in Thuringia, commenting on the preliminary results. “I am very happy. We have achieved a historic result. The old parties should show humility.” – he continued.
The election winner described as “stupid” the comments of other parties that it would be impossible to negotiate a coalition with the AfD for the formation of a regional government because of the Alternative’s too radical programme. According to Höcke, the AfD wants to invite other political forces to discuss possible cooperation.
“It is a good parliamentary tradition that the strongest party invites the others to negotiate after the elections. We are ready to take responsibility for forming a government.” – Höke summed up.
Sarah Wagenknecht, for her part, ruled out the possibility of cooperating with the AfD under Höcke’s leadership.
“Mr. Höcke has a vision of the world that is alien to us. We have always said that we cannot work with Mr. Hoecke.” – he stated.
According to Wagenknecht, he hopes that his party will be able to form a “good government” together with the CDU and, according to preliminary results of the vote, with the SPD.
Leader of the CDU regional branch in Thuringia Mario Voigt He said the task of forming a regional government falls to the Christian Democrats.
“As a CDU, we also see this as an opportunity for political change,” – said the 47-year-old Erfurt resident.
According to media reports, the leading green candidate Madeleine Henfling He reacted to the fiasco suffered by the party “with tears in his eyes.”
“We will not leave the country and the streets to the fascists. Thuringia is a federal state in which a right-wing extremist party is entering parliament for the first time as a strong political force, and this is what worries it most now,” said Henfling, referring to the AfD’s victory.
AfD co-chair Alice Weidel described the party’s first victory at state level as a “historic success.”
“Voters want the AfD to join the government. Without the AfD, the creation of a stable government is impossible,” he concluded.
According to preliminary results, the turnout in the elections in Thuringia was 73.5 percent, the highest figure in the past thirty years.
