Siegmund sees AfD election success in Saxony-Anhalt as a mandate to govern

Break with the campaign line

Siegmund left open how such a government could come about in concrete terms. He did not rule out a new election if no viable majority emerged in the state parliament. This marks a departure from the AfD's previous line of pursuing government participation only under clear majority conditions. Ultimately, the decision rests with the party itself and with the parliamentary groups in the Magdeburg state parliament.

Ahead of the election, CDU federal chairman Friedrich Merz had accused the AfD in a widely noted remark of wanting to „halbieren" the CDU. AfD leader Tino Chrupalla countered with an equally widely quoted comment: „Merz wollte uns halbieren. Wir haben die CDU halbiert." The slogan encapsulates the party's self-image after the vote and was spread at campaign rallies and on social media.

Chrupalla's "halving" slogan

Alongside the CDU and the AfD, the Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) and the SPD played a role in the election as potential providers of a majority. While the SPD is considered a classic coalition partner of the CDU, the BSW has asserted its own claims to government participation. Which constellation could ultimately form a majority in the state parliament was initially open. Talks between the parties were ongoing, but no concrete results had yet been announced.

Siegmund also commented on possible policy priorities of an AfD-led state government. He pointed to his party's announcement that it wanted to set its own accents in migration, energy, and economic policy. He provided no details on cabinet formation, personnel matters, or a possible coalition agreement. No date for an initial round of exploratory talks with other parliamentary groups was given either.

Possible majorities in the state parliament

In political terms, it is notable that Siegmund's statements about the willingness to govern even with a narrow majority go beyond what other party representatives in Saxony-Anhalt had publicly stated. While the CDU and SPD have repeatedly insisted on stable alliances and clear majority conditions, the AfD is evidently opting for a more confrontational approach. Observers see this as an attempt to increase pressure on potential partners.

According to preliminary figures, the AfD became the second-strongest force in the Saxony-Anhalt state election, clearly behind the CDU. The Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht also entered the state parliament. As a result, neither a classic centrist alliance of CDU and SPD nor a possible left-wing alliance without the AfD has a secure majority. Government formation is therefore likely to depend on negotiations between several parties.

In the coming days, the parliamentary groups in the Magdeburg state parliament intend to begin their internal consultations. In parallel, talks between the CDU, SPD, AfD, and BSW are expected. Whether a swift agreement can be reached or whether the path of a new election will ultimately be taken depends, in Siegmund's assessment, on the willingness of the parties involved to find common lines of compromise.

At this point, neither a concrete timetable for government formation nor an official start to coalition negotiations is known. The state parliament administration is preparing the constitutive session of the new state parliament, which is to take place in the coming weeks.

Outlook on government formation

The background to the current debate is the national political confrontation between the CDU and the AfD, which was also reflected in the state election campaign in Saxony-Anhalt. Nationwide, CDU leader Friedrich Merz had sharply attacked the AfD; the AfD countered with the "halving" slogan. In Saxony-Anhalt, this dispute took on particular significance because the question of AfD participation in government was here for the first time concretely at issue in an eastern German state with a sizable territory.

Looking ahead to the coming weeks, Siegmund announced that the party would approach other parliamentary groups „sehr zügig" in order to open talks on possible cooperation. At the same time, he made clear that the AfD would not enter a coalition at any price. The party leadership reserved the right to set conditions for government participation and to advocate for them publicly.