Germany's far-right party is aiming to win the presidency of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament on Tuesday, a first since 1945, a month after defeating the conservatives led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose popularity continues to decline. During the opening session of parliament in Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, NGOs plan to hold demonstrations calling on other parties not to cooperate with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. These results are unprecedented in post-war Germany and represent a major blow to Merz, whose coalition with the Social Democrats is facing sharp disagreements over reforms. The AfD achieved a second victory in the September 20 state elections in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (northeast Germany), another stunning upset, despite expectations that it would govern the state. A left-wing coalition. The election of the speaker of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament by lawmakers on Tuesday is expected to be a formality for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Tobias Rausch, a 35-year-old lawmaker and the son of a senior party official in the state whose family has been at the center of nepotism allegations, is expected to assume the post. Sigmund hopes to win an absolute majority in the first round. To achieve this, he will need at least three members of parliament from other parties, although none of the parties have yet agreed to cooperate with the Alternative for Germany (AfD). In this context, the five members of parliament from the far-left, pro-Russian Socialist Party (PSW) could prove to be important allies for the AfD, after the party announced its support for him to become president of the state parliament, despite its current refusal to vote for Sigmund. The AfD is trying to attract conservatives. According to local press, the two parties have agreed on areas of potential cooperation, including the formation of a commission of inquiry into the authorities' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the reform of the local public broadcaster, which is accused of serving the interests of the traditional parties. The AfD is also seeking to attract votes from conservatives, with Sigmund confirming that he has been in contact with some members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). In an interview with the public broadcaster ARD on Monday, Sven Schulze, the outgoing premier and regional leader of the CDU, said, "No member of the CDU will join the AfD in any way." The president of the state parliament, who will be elected on Tuesday, will manage the Parliamentary sessions are conducted by a "Council of Elders" that sets the agenda, discusses procedural matters, and oversees the administration of parliament. The inaugural session will begin on Tuesday at 9:00 AM GMT and will include a secret ballot to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speakers. Meanwhile, the Magdeburg Solidarity Alliance and other NGOs plan to hold a demonstration in front of the parliament building in the morning, which will include reading the first twenty articles of the German Constitution. Eva von Angeren, leader of the Left Party (Die Linke) in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, said she sees historical parallels with Hermann Göring, a senior Nazi official who became Speaker of the Bundestag in 1932.
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