CDU and Independents Squabble as AfD Triumphs in Pirna
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is basking in victory following their candidate's win in the Pirna mayoral election. This success has bolstered the party's confidence for the 2024 state elections in Saxony, causing concern among the Left and the Greens. The CDU and Free Voters, however, are point fingers at each other over the outcome.
Celebrating their triumph, Saxony's AfD leader Jörg Urban stated, "We aim to win Saxony in 2024, securing a comfortable lead and nearing 40%. That's a steep climb for our party, but we can do it. We proved it in Pirna." National AfD leader Alice Weidel expressed her enthusiasm on Platform X, commending the Pirna win, emphasizing that their success was not a fluke.
Tim Lochner, the 53-year-old AfD mayoral candidate and independent restorer, clinched victory with 38.5% of the votes in the second round over his rivals from the CDU and Free Voters. Lochner, carrying the AfD's banner in the election, attributed his victory to a united front and strong campaign.
Distance between CDU and Free Voters
Criticism was not absent in the aftermath of the election. The Left, SPD, and Greens were disappointed with the outcome but rallied behind the CDU candidate, Dollinger-Knuth, in the second round. She, however, voiced her frustration, accusing the Free Voters of misjudging the situation by opting for an independent candidate in the final round, thereby paving the way for the AfD's success.
The Free Voters, meanwhile, swiftly countered that the CDU's insistence on preserving their own candidate in the decisive round had strengthened the AfD's hand. They argued that the CDU's relentless pursuit of power had blinded them to the possible consequences of their actions.
Party Responsibility
The chairman of the SPD youth organization maintained that both the CDU and Free Voters shared responsibility for the outcome. He suggested that if the AfD's far-right candidate had run, a united democratic front would have been essential to prevent their success. Democratic forces must now rally to win back support, highlighting the need to protect democracy from such threats.
Mixed Feelings from the Green Party
The Greens in Saxony expressed concern about the election of an AfD mayor, given the Office for the Protection of the Constitution's recent labeling of the AfD as a right-wing extremist movement. In the coming months and years, they vowed to challenge the new mayor's actions on contentious issues, emphasizing that they would be vocal when his administration moved against democratic norms.
The Left Party's district chairwoman warned against adopting a policy of "social coldness" in Pirna in the face of the new mayor, promising to scrutinize his planning in detail, condemning any anti-social measures, and keeping tabs on broken election promises.
An Unprecedented Victory
Before Pirna, AfD candidates had already tasted victory by winning important local political offices in two separate German districts. Robert Sesselmann, the District Council in Sonneberg, Thuringia, and Hannes Loth, the first mayor of a German municipality nationwide in Raguhn-Jeßnitz, Saxony-Anhalt, were both from the AfD. Lochner, the Pirna victor, stated that he would not be deterred from joining the AfD even with the party's extremist classification, emphasizing his commitment to the party.
As Saxony gears up for state elections in 2024, both the CDU and AfD appear to be strong contenders, with the SPD and AfD currently polling at 33% each. In an early December poll, the AfD ranked equally with the CDU, underscoring the close electoral race ahead.
