In an unexpected turn of events, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party celebrated a historical victory in Pirna, Saxony. AfD member Tim Lochner, a carpenter by trade, secured the mayoral position in this charming city of about 40,000 inhabitants, nestled by the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and famed for its well-preserved old town.
Lochner, who is part of the AfD parliamentary group in the city council but not an official party member, had run in the 2017 mayoral election but did not make it past the previous incumbent, Klaus-Peter Hanke. Despite Hanke’s non-party affiliation, he decided to not contest the current election due to age reasons, paving the way for Lochner to emerge victorious against CDU and Free Voters candidates.
The AfD's win stirred a range of reactions. Alice Weidel, the party chairman, thanked voters on Twitter for making this "historic result" possible. Her co-chairman Tino Chrupalla expressed confidence that Lochner would effectively represent the interests of Pirna's residents.
The Greens, however, expressed concern over the election outcome. They claimed that Lochner represented a party that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution – Germany's secret service – had labeled as right-wing extremist just a week prior to the elections. Saxony's AfD is now the third state association to be classified as right-wing extremist.
The Left Party spoke out against a potential "social coldness" policy in Pirna under Lochner's governance and vowed to challenge any anti-social policies moving forward. The party promised to expose any broken election promises and will be vocal on issues where Lochner tries to enforce divisive policies.
Saxony's election result follows a troubling trend, where the far-right AfD has been trying to win mayoral seats in various German cities. Despite their efforts, the party has so far failed to make significant inroads in such elections.
Pirna's upcoming political changes will be closely watched as it joins Sonneberg in Germany as a city where an AfD politician holds a top municipal post. As the city prepares for December, the question on everyone's mind is how AfD's victory in Pirna will impact the local, state, and national political landscape.
References: * * (Enrichment Data: Classification of the AfD as a right-wing extremist party by Germany’s Office for the Protection of the Constitution)
