The Bavarian parliament is set to gather for its final session before the holiday break on Tuesday at 2 pm. The AfD, having ranked third in the Munich elections, will make another attempt to elect Matthias Vogler as Vice-President of the parliament. However, Vogler's previous attempts have been unsuccessful, which is no stranger to the AfD as they've consistently fallen short of the required majority in the past.
Caught under the watchful eye of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Bavaria, the AfD won't let this setback dampen their spirits. They will share the podium with Presiding Officer Ilse Aigner (CSU) and the state government during the traditional closing speeches. The AfD's group secured this right due to their third-place finish in the parliamentary elections on October 8, making them the first opposition party.
The AfD, a potent force in German politics and particularly in Eastern states, has struggled to make the same waves in Bavaria. Although their influence has grown in elections like the 2021 federal election, they still play a less prominent role in Bavaria.
Let's delve into the AfD's history and position in our political landscape:
- Origin Story: The AfD was birthed in 2013 during a time when the party struggled to gain traction in German politics. It missed the 5% mark needed to enter the Bundestag in the 2013 federal election, but clinched parliamentary representation in the Hesse state parliament following defections from other parties[1].
- Geographical Performance: The AfD excelled in state elections like Saxony-Anhalt, Baden-Württemberg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in 2016, where they secured double-digit voter support[1]. However, their performance in Bavaria has remained subpar, often finishing third or below at the polls.
- Growing Presence: The 2021 federal election saw the AfD emerge as the leading party in Saxony and Thuringia, as well as pick up support in other Eastern states[1]. Their pockets of success have led to a growing presence in the political landscape, but their influence in Bavaria remains limited.
- Speaking Rights: While the AfD's right to speak at closing speeches or participate in debates is not a direct result of their Vice-President electing aspirations, it serves as another barometer of their influence in national and state-level politics[1][2].
In conclusion, the AfD's target this time around is to elect Matthias Vogler as Vice-President of the Bavarian parliament, a task that has eluded them in the past. Their efforts, however, should be viewed against the backdrop of the AfD's significant influence in German politics, especially in Eastern states, and their less prominent role in Bavaria.
