Parliamentary Elections in Two Eastern German States Begin

Parliamentary elections in the two states of Thuringia and Saxony in eastern Germany began at 8 AM local time on Sunday, September 2, and will continue until 6 PM. Given the power of state parliaments in Germany on local issues, the results of these elections could also have a national impact. However, what adds to the importance of the parliamentary elections in these two states is the possibility of the far-right party 'Alternative for Germany' (AfD) winning, which would be interpreted as a sign of a political earthquake in Germany. The latest pre-election polls indicate a decisive lead for the AfD in Thuringia, while in Saxony, the party appears to be slightly trailing behind the center-right 'Christian Democrats.' The German security organization has classified the AfD branches in Thuringia and Saxony as extreme right-wing entities and is monitoring the party's activities across the country as a group accused of extremism. Björn Höcke, the controversial leader of the AfD in Thuringia, has been fined twice this year for using a banned Nazi slogan. He, a former history teacher, is also involved in another case for inciting public opinion. On the other hand, it seems that the three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government may face disappointing results in this election. The Chancellor promised to expel more refugees during his visit to Solingen. The unpopularity of Scholz's coalition government, ongoing class disparities, quality of life issues in eastern and western Germany, rising opposition to the government's unwavering political and military support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, and increasing opposition to the growing presence of refugees in the country have led to a rise in extreme right-wing sentiments in Germany, boosting the popularity of parties like the AfD, especially in the east. Nearly two weeks before today's parliamentary elections, a deadly knife attack by a Syrian assailant at a festival in Solingen reignited anti-foreign sentiments in parts of the country, raising concerns for the government about a potential surge in popularity and votes for the anti-immigrant AfD. Olaf Scholz, during his visit to the incident site, promised to expel more refugees from the country. With a year remaining until the general parliamentary elections in Germany, the poor performance of the three parties in Scholz's coalition in the state elections could exacerbate cabinet disputes and further decrease the coalition's popularity.