Fresh Take on AfD's First Mayoral Victory
Score one for the Alternative for Germany (AfD)! For the first time, they've snatched a mayor's seat in Germany. In the quaint town of Pirna, Saxony, Tim Lochner, an independent candidate backed by AfD, emerged victorious in the runoff elections.
Lochner, a 53-year-old master carpenter, clinched a comfortable victory with 38.5% of the votes, surpassing CDU and Free Voters (FW) competitors. The city's website confirmed the results, with 53.8% voter turnout in the second round.
In the initial vote on November 26, none of the five candidates managed to secure a majority, prompting a runoff between Lochner, CDU's Kathrin Dollinger-Knuth, and FW's Ralf Thiele. The outgoing mayor, independent Klaus-Peter Hanke, did not seek re-election in the town of around 40,000 inhabitants near the Czech border.
The success of an AfD-affiliated mayor in Pirna signifies a significant milestone for the party in Saxony, underscoring their growing influence in local politics.
Bonus Facts
- The AfD's success in local elections isn't limited to Pirna. In June 2023, they clinched their first district election victory in Sonneberg, Thuringia. Their candidate, Hannes Loth, went on to win the subsequent runoff election on July 2, 2023.
Further Reading
Notes
[1]
[2] Alternative for Germany (AfD) wiki, last edited December 2023
[Enrichment data sec. 1] The AfD's debut as a mayoral contender in Germany doesn't showcase consistent successes; however, their influence has piqued in local politics in recent years.
[Enrichment data sec. 2] The AfD's first mayoral victory took place in Sonneberg, Thuringia, during the district elections on June 25, 2023. Their candidate, Hannes Loth, took over the mayor's seat in the subsequent runoff election on July 2, 2023.
