The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) wrapped up its state election campaign in Saxony-Anhalt by reaffirming its ambition to take power and vowing to “take our country back” from day one.
National co-chairs Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel addressed a packed hall of hundreds of cheering, flag-waving supporters on the eve of what could be a historic election – potentially bringing the first far-right party to power in a German state since World War II.
Chrupalla told the eastern state’s lead candidate Ulrich Siegmund that “the real work as premier-in-waiting begins on Monday.” He added: “This blue wave from Magdeburg will wash over Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and on to Berlin. It will ultimately bring about change at the national level too.”
Weidel called out to the packed hall: “Uli Siegmund will make history tomorrow for Saxony-Anhalt, for Germany.”
The anti-immigration party has been polling above 40%, and is hoping to secure an unprecedented absolute majority of seats in the state parliament in Magdeburg.
The party has held a clear lead over the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), who lead the current three-party coalition in Saxony-Anhalt and have been polling at about 23%.
The party’s manifesto includes setting up a task force to speed up deportations, reviving school exchanges with Russia, creating segregated classes for the children of asylum-seekers and banning rainbow flags in schools.
Siegmund told the crowd: “One more sleep, then we take our country back.”
He said the party had spent more than three years preparing to take over government, building a network to bring together “all the bright minds in this state” so it could act from day one rather than just talk. Siegmund announced that deportations would begin on day one.
The party’s Saxony-Anhalt branch has declared a sole majority government as its goal. The final poll before the election, published Thursday by research group Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for broadcaster ZDF, put the AfD at 41% and the CDU at 23%.
In Saxony-Anhalt and four other states, the AfD has been classified by Germany’s domestic intelligence service as a “confirmed right-wing extremist organization.”
A view of the event hall before the start of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) campaign wrap-up at the AMO Culture and Convention Center. (is associated with: «Germany’s AfD closes Saxony-Anhalt campaign vowing to take power») Michael Brandt/dpa