Education Minister Declines Collaboration with AfD Party
In the political landscape of Saxony-Anhalt, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) stands as the strongest party, determined to maintain its dominance in the upcoming state election on September 6, 2026. The current coalition in power, consisting of the CDU, Social Democratic Party (SPD), and Free Democratic Party (FDP), is set to continue its rule, as the CDU aims to secure a majority in the civic center, excluding the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Federal Education Minister Karin Prien, a key figure in the CDU, has made it clear that any cooperation with the AfD is incompatible with the CDU's principles. This stance is in line with the CDU's incompatibility resolution, a commitment that the party has held firm to since the 2021 election.
In the same representative Insa election poll conducted in June, the CDU emerged as the strongest force in Saxony-Anhalt with 34 percent, while the AfD followed closely behind with 30 percent. This tight race underscores the competitive nature of the upcoming election, with the AfD's presence as a right-wing populist force creating a tense political environment.
The CDU's state chairman, Sven Schulze, is set to run as the party's top candidate in the September 2026 election. Schulze, like Prien, has explicitly ruled out forming a coalition or working together with the AfD after the elections. Instead, he advocates for a "center alliance, led by the CDU," to maintain stability in the state.
The CDU's strategy involves addressing the concerns of voters attracted to the AfD while rejecting the AfD’s destabilizing agenda. By doing so, the party aims to win back these voters and prevent the AfD from gaining strength in upcoming elections, a goal that Prien has reiterated she will do everything in her power to achieve.
Given the CDU’s rejection of alliances with the AfD, potential coalition outcomes after the 2026 election likely involve combinations excluding the AfD. This could mean continued coalitions of CDU with SPD and/or FDP, or possibly involving the Greens if numbers require broadening the alliance.
The 2026 Saxony-Anhalt election will thus likely see the CDU aiming for a centrist coalition without AfD participation, maintaining the current governance trend, countering the AfD’s rise, and seeking to secure stability with center-right and potentially center-left partners.
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