“Tsunami” of anger and frustration after the “bitter” election result – Th’ can Solz last until 2025?
The sweeping percentages of the far-right AfD in Thuringia and Saxony are thoroughly shaking the government of Olaf Solz, who speaks of a “bitter” result, with the following question it is asked: “Will it last until 2025?”.
“Tsunami of anger and frustration”, “political earthquake”, “Soltz government has paid the price for its choices”, “exemplary punishment of the federal government's policy”, “co-government parties turn a blind eye and just carry on”. These are just a few headlines from German newspapers about the election result in Thuringia, with the far-right Alternative for Germany and Saxony leading the charge, where it eventually came second behind the Christian Democrats by a narrow margin.
Chancellor Olaf Solz spoke of a “bitter” election result “for us as well”, speaking at a meeting of Social Democratic MPs, saying that “AfD is harming Germany. It weakens the economy, divides society and destroys the country's reputation”.
As for the Social Democrats, Chancellor Solz merely stated that they held their own. Of course, this remains to be seen, because already yesterday party officials are leaving tips about the suitability of the chancellor, but also the overall course and the constant quarrels within the coalition government. essentially admitting the defeat of the Greens in both states, he stated that “the co-government is also responsible for the results in East Germany”. The vice-president of the Liberals, Wolfgang Kubicki, with his party essentially erased from the political map of Saxony and Thuringia, says that there is a question of “legitimizing” the government.
As for the Far Right, AfD co-chairs Alice Weidel and Tino Krupala are sending messages of victory for the future but also warnings, starting primarily with their “magnificent” victory in Thuringia.
“They cannot ignore us in the formation of the government”, “we have a clear mandate to govern”, “the citizens have sent a message that they want a change of policy” they have been saying since yesterday, setting the tone for the next period and while elections in Brandenburg are also coming up on September 22 where they also lead in the opinion polls.
However, both in Thuringia and in Saxony, post-election scenarios are currently complicated and it will take time, as the Christian Democrats mainly claim, to form viable state governments.
Everyone rules out any cooperation with the Alternative for Germany while the Sarah Wagenknecht Alliance, a third force that seems to have the “key” to the developments, although winking at a position in power next to the Christian Democrats, sets federal policy conditions: no the parking of American missiles in Germany from 2026 and a change of course to the Ukrainian one.
The risk of anarchy seems likely at least for the immediate future. The only thing that is certain is that both in Thuringia and in Saxony the solid parliamentary power of the Far Right will be able to overturn political decisions and bills. And it certainly also cannot be ignored, numerically and now institutionally.
