Verstehen
AfD candidate Tobias Rausch elected speaker of Saxony-Anhalt regional parliament in Germany
Überblick
For the first time since World War Two, a far-right party has secured the post of speaker in a German regional parliament. Tobias Rausch of the AfD won the vote in Saxony-Anhalt with support from nine MPs outside his party, breaking the post-war consensus against working with the far right.
Wichtige Punkte
- Tobias Rausch, a 35-year-old AfD candidate, was elected speaker of the Saxony-Anhalt regional parliament.
- Rausch won the vote with the backing of nine MPs from other parties, including five from the hard-left BSW.
- This marks the first time since World War Two that a far-right party has secured the speaker position in a German regional parliament.
- Protesters gathered outside the parliament building in Magdeburg holding banners opposing the election.
- The speaker role is largely symbolic, involving chairing debates, controlling building access, and representing parliament at official events.