The results of the state elections in Thuringia last September, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) arrived first, raised concern about the possible participation of the extremist party in a future coalition government. Although all the parties of the democratic spectrum declared rejecting any alliance with AfD, the pro-Moscow and anti-immigant Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) could push the state into a political crisis if decided to ally with the far-right.
Since World War II, the AfD has been the most successful party in the German far-right movement. Its victory in September’s election in Thuringia is also the first time a far-right party became the largest bloc in a state parliament. AfD and BSW have several views in common, such as Russophilia and anti-EU and anti-immigration rhetoric. BSW’s central theme of its electoral campaign was the end of any German assistance to Ukraine, a fact that would signify victory for the Russian invaders. Thus, the possibility of an alliance between the two parties couldn’t be excluded.
However, on Friday, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social democratic Party (SPD) and BSW reached an agreement that closed the door of the state government to AfD. The extremist party in Thuringia hosts neo-nazi elements. Its leader, Björn Höcke, is a well-known extremist figure in the German far-right, has been monitored by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) since the beginning of 2020 and classified as a right-wing extremist.
In their draft agreement, the three partners postponed discussions about Ukraine, even though the BSW demanded negotiations with Russia to end the Ukraine war.
On Wednesday, a similar “cordon sanitaire” against the far-right was established in Saxony. However, the BSW’s specific calls to refrain from arming Ukraine were only addressed in the draft agreement among the three potential governing parties through general references to peace.
Additionally, the prime ministers of all three states—representing the Conservatives, the SPD, and the Left party—issued a joint open letter supporting the BSW’s call for diplomacy while still affirming Germany’s commitment to backing Ukraine.
