State election Saxony-Anhalt | The new fascists celebrate themselves

Ulrich Siegmund, AfD parliamentary group leader in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt, after the inaugural AfD parliamentary group meeting Photo: picture alliance/dpa/Peter Gercke The result was expected. Nevertheless, it weighs heavily and turned out to be a little clearer than forecast. The right-wing extremist party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) won the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt by a landslide with 44 percent. Although it does not have an absolute majority, possible alliances are already emerging.

This result requires in-depth analysis. Broadly speaking, however, it can be said that it is due both to the feeling of citizens in the East that they have been left behind, and to the dissatisfaction of Germans as a whole with the anti-social policies of the SPD and CDU. This policy fuels a general distrust of the two parties and reinforces the growing discredit of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

The AfD's leading candidate in the state, Ulrich Siegmund, knew how to take advantage of this; He relied on his youthful image and at the same time cultivated a certain nostalgia by presenting himself with a motor scooter typical of the former GDR. Above all, he made use of the two complementary weapons of the right-wing extremists and neo-fascists: the denunciation of immigration and identitarian demagoguery. These serve as instruments for the massive destruction of solidarity, class consciousness (where it still exists) as well as tolerance and openness - combined with the vision of a return to a glorified past.

The French daily newspaper "L'Humanité" was founded in 1904 by the socialist Jean Jaurès. Originally intended as a mouthpiece for the socialist movement, it has consistently represented left-wing and socialist positions ever since. She advocates for social justice, workers' rights and global peace.

The newspaper is the former central organ of the French Communist Party (PCF). In 1999 the explicit reference to the party was dropped. Since 2004, 40 percent of the newspaper has belonged to the PCF, friends and employees each hold ten percent, the Society of Friends holds 20 percent and large companies such as savings banks, the broadcaster TF1 and the arms company Lagardère hold the rest. Today, around 60 editors work at "L'Humanité"; the newspaper has around 40,000 subscribers. The press festival, the Fête de L’Humanité, which was held for the first time in 1930, is still an important event in social life in France today.

The Nazi-era lawyer Carl Schmitt made naming an enemy – or constructing one if one did not exist – a basic principle of politics. This is exactly what the AfD has done with regard to immigration. In France, this is also the core of Marine Le Pen's proposal to ban the wearing of headscarves in public spaces. It is an incendiary suggestion. At the same time, it is an essential means of distracting attention from the anti-social and divisive politics that capital is driving today.

The state of Saxony-Anhalt is a small area by global standards, but Sunday's result was enthusiastically greeted by Viktor Orbán, Elon Musk, Donald Trump... The new fascists congratulate each other. And we are on high alert.

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