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German far-right aims to lead Saxony-Anhalt govt in December / Photo: © AFP
German far-right aims to lead Saxony-Anhalt govt in December
The leader of the far-right AfD in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt said Tuesday he hopes to become state premier in December after the party's crushing election victory earlier this month.
If Ulrich Siegmund does succeed in becoming the state's leader, it would be a first for the AfD and the first time any far-right party has held such a position in post-war German history.
Siegmund told the Welt television station that "we will stick to this timetable" of December after discussions within the party and with other state lawmakers who will choose the next head of the state's government.
The AfD won 44 percent of the vote in this month's state assembly election but fell just three seats short of an outright majority.
Most German political parties have maintained a "firewall" against the AfD, refusing to enter coalitions with it.
However, the small left-wing, pro-Moscow BSW party, which has five state MPs, has held agreed to discuss some form of co-operation with the AfD.
Siegmund said there were some "points to clarify of a political nature" in the talks but that these were "definitely solvable".
Under Germany's federal system, state governments have wide-ranging powers over areas such as health and education, and even security.
The AfD campaigned on a pledge to immediately begin a "remigration and deportation offensive" in the state.
The party's "anti-woke" agenda also includes vows to replace LGBTQ pride rainbow flags at public schools with the German standard, and to lessen the emphasis on the horrors of Nazi Germany in history teaching.
The AfD notched up another state election victory this month in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where it won 37 percent and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's CDU crashed out of the state assembly with just 4.9 percent.
The disastrous results have increased speculation about how much longer the embattled Merz will be able to stay in office.
When he became chancellor he vowed to see off the threat from the AfD, but the far-right party has now established a solid lead in national polls while the CDU has slumped.
C.Noh--SG
