The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) could bring about massive changes if it forms a government in Saxony-Anhalt. The party, currently leading in opinion polls, hopes to secure a single-party government with its lead candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, as state premier. The Saxony-Anhalt branch is classified as "confirmed far-right" by the domestic intelligence agency.
In its draft government program, the AfD promises "deportation from minute one!" if it wins the election. The stated goal is to deport as many immigrants without residency permits as possible. The party also pledges stricter asylum rules: more detention pending deportation, mandatory work for asylum-seekers, and cutting all state funding for integration programs, which it dismisses as an "asylum industry."
Furthermore, the AfD wants to exclude children and adolescents without permanent residency from regular schools. It plans to establish a "Remigration Task Force" within the state government to coordinate asylum policy. However, legal experts question the feasibility of these measures; special classes for refugees could violate international and European law, and deportation decisions fall under federal jurisdiction.
The AfD opposes immigration, calling for a "180-degree turnaround in migration policy." Yet Saxony-Anhalt has suffered from a skilled labor shortage for years, particularly in nursing and elderly care. The party's solution is to encourage Germans living abroad to return, offering a "return bonus" for housing and daycare assistance. The anticipated number of returnees and budget remain unclear.
The region has experienced severe depopulation since reunification, with numbers dropping from 2.9 million to 2.1 million. Economic researchers like Reint Gropp warn that an AfD government could exacerbate the skilled worker shortage. "Highly qualified professionals have options," he told Die Welt. "If they feel unwelcome or expect hostility, they will choose other regions."
While state governments have little say in foreign and defense policy, they can influence debates via the Bundesrat. An AfD premier could shift the tone, especially regarding Russia. The party's platform calls for rapprochement with Russia and an end to sanctions, though such moves are largely symbolic. It also wants to expand Russian language instruction and recruit native speakers.
On Ukraine, the AfD takes a harder line, demanding a "return offensive" for Ukrainian refugees, though deportation is federally regulated. Controversially, the party proposes a "voluntary citizen patrol" as a third pillar of security, claiming the police are "overwhelmed." Criminologist Thomas Feltes warns this would amount to vigilante groups, stoking fear rather than enhancing safety.
The AfD's platform also embraces "identity politics," promoting a positive view of German history and rejecting the "perpetuation of a guilt complex" regarding Nazi crimes. It wants to ban rainbow flags in schools, dismisses Bauhaus architecture as "too globalist," and advocates for a "patriotic cultural policy." Funding for pro-democracy projects would be redirected.
This article was originally written in German.
Source: www.dw.com