Scholz urges firewall against far right after election win

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the leader of Germany, has made a strong appeal to other political parties to refrain from supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. This call comes after the AfD achieved a significant victory in the eastern state of Thuringia during the recent regional elections. This marks a historic moment as it is the first time since World War Two that the far-right has secured a win in a state parliament election. Additionally, the AfD performed impressively in another state election in Saxony, where they finished in a close second place. The AfD has been classified as a right-wing extremist party in both Thuringia and Saxony. The leader of the AfD in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has faced fines for using a slogan associated with the Nazi regime, although he maintains that he did not intend to do so. On Monday, Chancellor Scholz urged other political parties to create a 'firewall' to prevent the AfD from gaining power. He stated, 'All democratic parties are now called upon to form stable governments without right-wing extremists,' describing the election results as 'bitter' and 'worrying. ' In response, AfD co-leader Alice Weidel claimed that voters in Thuringia and Saxony had given her party a 'very clear mandate to govern. ' She encouraged other parties to disregard Scholz's call for coalitions without the AfD, arguing that such actions would 'undermine the democratic participation of large sections of the population. ' Weidel further asserted, 'Firewalls are undemocratic. ' Without the support of other parties, the AfD cannot govern in Thuringia. The conservative CDU, which is the second-largest party, has made it clear that it will not consider forming a government with the far-right. This situation means that the conservatives will need to seek support from left-leaning parties to achieve a majority. However, they have previously refused to collaborate with the left-wing party Die Linke, which may force them to consider working with the more radical left populist party led by Sahra Wagenknecht, known as BSW. This option is not appealing to many within the CDU. Mr. Höcke, the AfD's leading candidate in Thuringia, has suggested that there are many CDU voters who would be open to collaboration. Regardless, with over 30% of the vote, the AfD holds a 'blocking minority,' which allows them to obstruct the appointment of new judges or any constitutional changes. Any coalition that forms is likely to be unstable. In Saxony, the conservatives secured 42 seats, just ahead of the AfD with 41 seats, while Sahra Wagenknecht's party holds 15 seats in third place. In Thuringia, Mr. Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) only managed to win six seats, with no seats for his coalition partners, the Greens and the liberal FDP. The SPD also performed poorly in Saxony, finishing in fifth place. These election results highlight the declining popularity of Germany's ruling 'traffic-light' coalition, named for the colors of the parties involved. Each of the three governing parties faced significant losses, which will likely lead to more assertive stances within the national coalition. Prominent figures within each party are already expressing the need to advocate for their own values, which could result in further divisions within the national government. Although ministers have stated they will not dissolve the coalition or bring down the government, the mere fact that they are making such statements indicates the challenges they are facing. Ms. Weidel remarked that the public has 'voted out' the coalition and urged Mr. Scholz and his partners to 'pack their bags and vacate their chairs, because the voters want a different government, they want a different politics. ' The primary concern for AfD voters during the election was immigration, particularly regarding refugees and asylum seekers. Despite being excluded from governmental power both regionally and nationally, the AfD continues to exert influence on mainstream politics. Since the AfD entered the Bundestag in Berlin in 2017, critics argue that their aggressive anti-migrant rhetoric has intensified political discourse. Some observers believe that the tone of political and media discussions has become more confrontational, with CDU leader Friedrich Merz facing accusations of mimicking AfD language. In an effort to regain support from AfD voters, mainstream parties are adopting a tougher stance on immigration and implementing measures to facilitate the deportation of asylum seekers whose applications have been denied. Aslihan Yesilkaya-Yurtbay, the federal chairwoman of the umbrella organization of Turkish communities in Berlin, expressed that the election results were 'shocking and frightening. ' She noted that many young people from her generation are contemplating leaving Germany, stating, 'The future in this country for citizens with a migration background is being called into question. ' The AfD also advocates for halting weapons supplies to Ukraine, a position shared by Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW. Approximately five million Germans in the eastern regions were eligible to vote on Sunday. A third eastern state, Brandenburg, is scheduled to vote in three weeks, and although the AfD is currently leading in opinion polls, the Social Democrats and conservatives are trailing closely behind.