Right-wing populist AfD wins top municipal office in Thuringia district election

ory Highlights:

In a district election in Thuringia, an AfD candidate was elected to office for the first time. The Thuringian AfD with state chief Björn Höcke was classified as right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Nationwide in the survey high and now also with a countable electoral success: Ten years after its foundation, the right-wing populist AfD has conquered a top municipal office in Germany for the first time. With 52.8 percent, her candidate Robert Stuhlmann won the district election in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg on Sunday against his CDU competitor Jürgen Köpper, who only got 47.2 percent.

“That was just the beginning,” wrote AfD boss Tino Chrupalla on Twitter. “We convince majorities with our politics for the interests of the citizens. In this way we will achieve a turn for the better for Germany.” Thuringia’s AfD head of state Björn Höcke said that a “political flash of lightning” emanated from Sonneberg. You want to take this momentum with you for the upcoming district elections and then prepare for the state elections, where you could create a “political earthquake” in the east. Next year there will be state elections in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg.

Neither Stuhlmann (50) nor Köpper (57) were present at the presentation of the election results in Sonneberg – they preferred to stay with their supporters. There was a celebration at the AfD, there were German flags on the tables, and blue balloons were hanging everywhere. In a statement, Köpper described the outcome of the election as “disappointing” and spoke of a bad day for the district of Sonneberg and for Thuringia.

In the district of Sonneberg, it was about a district administrator in a region with few people – the district in the Thuringian Forest directly on the border with Bavaria has just 57,000 inhabitants and 48,000 eligible voters. But the AfD made history according to its own reading. The result shows that majorities for the system-critical protest party are possible – and that in Thuringia, where the state association with its boss Höcke is classified and observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as proven right-wing extremists.

Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) described the AfD election success as a signal of dissatisfaction. “I think we have to redefine the spirit of German unity, that we take the East Germans with us and don’t trigger the feeling that they are laughed at or only talked about,” said Ramelow on Sunday evening on ZDF. The political scientist Sabine Kropp from the Free University of Berlin spoke at MDR of a “memo election”.

Thuringia’s interior minister and SPD chairman Georg Maier described the election result as an “alarm signal for all democratic forces”. Thuringia’s CDU General Secretary Christian Herrgott said: “The election result makes it clear that we all have the task of finding solutions to this type of protest against Berlin.”

Left, SPD, Greens and FDP had all drummed for the opposing candidate Köpper. In the previous attempts by the AfD to hold top municipal offices in Schwerin and Brandenburg, that had still worked. But this time even this broad alliance was not enough to stop the AfD man.

Apparently, the AfD, which used posters and personnel during the election campaign, was able to mobilize many of its supporters. Voter turnout rose to 59.6 percent from 49.1 percent in the first round.

In the first ballot two weeks ago, the 50-year-old Stuhlmann, currently a member of the state parliament and lawyer, got 46.7 percent from the start. But because he missed an absolute majority, there was a runoff against Köpper, who got 35.7 percent in the first ballot. Mr. Stuhlmann campaigned primarily against the traffic light coalition in Berlin with issues in which a district administrator has little say – such as energy and refugee policy.

Nationwide, the AfD is currently at 18 to 20 percent in surveys, in the five eastern federal states it achieves significantly higher values. In Thuringia, an Insa survey in April saw the AfD as the strongest party with 28 percent, ahead of the left with 22 percent. In Saxony, she was also number one in April with 28 percent at Insa, ahead of the CDU with 25 percent, in Brandenburg the AfD and SPD were tied with 24 percent each.

Is this now the ramp for the rights for election victories at the state level? It’s not out of the question, but it’s far from a given either. The AfD was at a similar poll high nationwide in 2018, but then did a little worse in the 2021 federal election with 10.3 percent than four years earlier. When an AfD victory threatened in Saxony-Anhalt in 2021, the CDU mobilized so successfully that they were way ahead in the end.

Nevertheless, this AfD success could be another indication that government majorities will become increasingly difficult to find. In Thuringia itself, this has been the case for years – Prime Minister Ramelow with his red-red-green minority government is indirectly dependent on the CDU.

The AfD itself sees the election as an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to govern – even if only on a very small scale. The future district administrator Stuhlmann will have a stage in the rural and conservative district in the southernmost tip of Thuringia, for example for protesting against the accommodation of refugees.

However, Stuhlmann does not have too much creative freedom. According to the law, a district administrator heads the district office and implements decisions of the district council – the office is often more like that of a managing director. The new district administrator will have to prove that he is moving what the district needs, said Ramelow. “He runs an administration.”

AfD representatives such as Thuringia’s co-state spokesman Stefan Möller gave the election great importance. They were concerned with proving eligibility and setting a kind of precedent for the AfD to assume political responsibility. According to a representative Civey survey for the TV station Welt, 52 percent of Germans are concerned about the idea of ​​an AfD district administrator.

AfD Candidate Wins District Election in Thuringia, Germany

In a historic victory for the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), their candidate Robert Stuhlmann has been elected as a district administrator in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg. This marks the first time that the AfD has won a top municipal office in Germany.

Stuhlmann secured 52.8 percent of the votes, defeating his CDU competitor Jürgen Köpper, who received 47.2 percent. The election result has been hailed as a significant achievement for the AfD, with party leader Tino Chrupalla stating on Twitter that it is just the beginning of their success. Thuringia’s AfD head of state Björn Höcke described the victory as a “political flash of lightning” and expressed his intention to build on this momentum for upcoming district and state elections.

The district of Sonneberg, located on the border with Bavaria, has a population of 57,000 and 48,000 eligible voters. The AfD’s success in this region, despite being classified as right-wing extremists by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, demonstrates the party’s ability to garner support and achieve majorities.

The election result has sparked various reactions from political figures. Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow described it as a signal of dissatisfaction and called for a redefinition of the spirit of German unity. Thuringia’s interior minister and SPD chairman Georg Maier viewed it as an “alarm signal for all democratic forces,” while Thuringia’s CDU General Secretary Christian Herrgott emphasized the need to find solutions to address the protest against Berlin.

The opposing candidate Köpper, as well as Stuhlmann, did not attend the presentation of the election results. The AfD celebrated the victory with German flags and blue balloons, highlighting their growing influence in the region.

The AfD’s success in Sonneberg raises questions about the party’s prospects in future state-level elections. While the party has seen high poll numbers in the past, it has not always translated into electoral success. However, this victory could indicate a trend of increasing difficulty in forming government majorities.

As the newly elected district administrator, Stuhlmann will have limited creative freedom, as his role primarily involves implementing decisions made by the district council. Nevertheless, the AfD sees this as an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to govern, even on a small scale.

A survey conducted by Civey for the TV station Welt revealed that 52 percent of Germans are concerned about the idea of an AfD district administrator. This highlights the significance of Stuhlmann’s election and the challenges he may face in his new role.

Overall, the AfD’s victory in the Sonneberg district election marks a significant milestone for the party and raises questions about the future political landscape in Germany.

How does the election victory of the AfD candidate in Thuringia reflect their ability to mobilize support and achieve electoral victories despite controversy and classification as right-wing extremists?

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution, showcases their ability to mobilize support and achieve electoral victories. The election result has sparked reactions from various political figures, with Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow describing it as a signal of dissatisfaction and Thuringia’s interior minister Georg Maier calling it an “alarm signal for all democratic forces.”

The AfD’s success in Sonneberg is seen as a potential indication of challenges in forming government majorities in the future. However, it is worth noting that a similar poll high for the AfD in 2018 did not translate into significant success in the 2021 federal election. Additionally, the AfD’s ability to govern and implement their policies at the district level may be limited due to the role of a district administrator, who primarily works to implement decisions made by the district council.

Despite these limitations, the AfD sees the election as an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to take on political responsibility. The future district administrator, Robert Stuhlmann, will have a platform to address issues that concern the district, such as refugee accommodation. The election result has also raised concerns among some Germans, with a survey indicating that 52 percent of Germans are worried about the idea of an AfD district administrator.

Overall, the victory of the AfD candidate in the district election in Thuringia represents a significant milestone for the party. It highlights their ability to appeal to voters and achieve electoral success, even in the face of controversy and classification as right-wing extremists.