After the election in Saxony-Anhalt: The right-wing extremists have won – what now?

Ulrich Siegmund has the best prospects of being elected Prime Minister in Magdeburg. Elon Musk congratulated the AfD on its election victory, and politicians close to Putin did the same. For the first time since 1945, a right-wing extremist party could come to power in a federal state.

The AfD will not have a majority in the new state parliament. She needs votes from the BSW or the CDU parliamentary group. However, a non-partisan prime minister like the one the BSW wants is not very realistic given the AfD's vote of almost 44 percent. The same applies to any opponent of Siegmund, who would have to be supported by the CDU, SPD, Greens and BSW.

Apparently a new party system is emerging in East Germany, replacing the old one, which was centered around the two popular parties. There are two blocks. Here the anti-liberal AfD, on the other side the democratic parties, from the Left Party to the CDU. The AfD in power means that pressure is being exerted on minorities and civil society. And there is also the risk of society splitting along the new bloc borders. Like in the USA under Trump. But exclusions benefit the right. If the election in Saxony-Anhalt is a turning point - then the democratic forces need a different strategy. Which? And – does the firewall still fit into this strategy?

David Muschenich, taz correspondent for Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia and Saxony, Sabine am Orde, political correspondent in the parliamentary office and responsible for the CDU, Gareth Joswig, who reports on the AfD for taz, will talk about this with moderator Stefan Reinecke, who writes about the SPD in the taz parliamentary office.