Germany's AfD has outlined its roadmap to take power in Saxony-Anhalt after winning the state's election. State leader Ulrich Siegmund announced plans to seek election as Minister-President in December, claiming recent negotiations have made a first-round victory possible despite his party falling three seats short of an absolute majority.
The AfD's parliamentary group has also unanimously nominated Tobias Rausch for the position of state parliament president, a move that could make him the first AfD politician to hold such a prominent parliamentary office. The vote is scheduled for the newly elected legislature's first session on October 6.
Although the AfD secured a decisive victory in the September 6 state election, the party holds 39 seats and remains three votes short of a governing majority. So far, the party has held talks only with the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) in an effort to secure a stable majority and form a government.
Siegmund said negotiations over recent weeks had given him confidence to publicly set a date for the Minister-President election. However, he declined to reveal whether lawmakers from other parties had pledged support. He acknowledged that political issues remain unresolved within the parliamentary group and among potential allies, but insisted the outstanding differences were manageable.
The path to government remains uncertain. The CDU, SPD, Greens and Left Party, which together control the same number of seats as the AfD, have all ruled out cooperation with the party. The BSW, represented by five lawmakers, remains the only party willing to engage in discussions.
The AfD's plans have drawn criticism from the CDU. Senior CDU politician Sepp Müller accused Siegmund of abandoning campaign promises, noting that the AfD had originally pledged to govern only with its own majority and had previously aimed to form a government by November.
Meanwhile, the SPD is pursuing an alternative strategy centered on a cross-party consensus candidate for Minister-President. Initial talks have already begun in Magdeburg, although the CDU's absence from those discussions has reduced the prospects for a broader agreement.
With coalition negotiations ongoing, Saxony-Anhalt faces weeks of political uncertainty as parties compete to shape the state's next government. The outcome could determine whether the AfD can convert its election victory into executive power for the first time in the region.
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