Merz under pressure as AfD pushes for state speaker in Saxony-Anhalt
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Germany’s chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing a fresh crisis as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) seeks to capture the state speaker post in Saxony-Anhalt, forcing the CDU to prepare a walk-out during secret ballots in an effort to block the extremist candidate.
Germany's chancellor Friedrich Merz is confronting another stark test of his weakened coalition as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) tries to seize the state speaker position in Saxony-Anhalt in December. The move could open the door to the first far-right state premier since World War II, a prospect that underscores how far the political center has been battered.
CDU lawmakers in Saxony-Anhalt have been accused of backing the AfD candidate in a secret ballot, triggering outrage from national party leaders. "The behavior of the CDU parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt with regard to past and upcoming elections is completely unacceptable," said Thomas Röwekamp, a CDU lawmaker who chairs the Bundestag's defense committee. He added that the AfD "wants to annihilate the CDU in Germany" and warned that the party must not allow itself to be split apart.
In response, Saxony-Anhalt CDU leader Sven Schulze announced that his party's legislators will leave the chamber during the first two rounds of secret voting to prevent any support for the AfD candidate. The party's strategy for a possible third round, where the AfD would need only a majority of votes cast, remains unclear, highlighting the confusion the CDU has allowed to fester.
AfD officials have openly called for defections from the CDU, framing the crisis as a "capitulation" by the conservative party. "They’re afraid of elections," said AfD national co-leader Tino Chrupalla after the CDU's walk-out plan was announced, in comments that reflect the party’s aggressive pressure tactics.
Merz, whose approval ratings are low, faces pressure to contain the episode while pursuing his agenda on Ukraine aid and economic revival. Opposition parties have criticized the CDU's handling of the vote, with SPD Defense Minister Boris Pistorius linking the controversy to historic taboos.
The outcome of the December vote is seen as pivotal for the coalition's stability and for preventing an AfD breakthrough in eastern Germany, where the far right continues to exploit frustration and political instability.