The Broader Political Implications of the Thuringia State Election in Germany
On the first of September in the German state of Thuringia, worrying election results were released. The mainstays of Eastern German state governments—that being the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and The Left political parties—had suffered a striking defeat. While the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has been on the rise in eastern German states since its victory in the 2017 national elections, a surprising new contender has seen success. This new party is known as the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, or BSW. A wholly new fixture in German politics, the BSW entered the political scene in January 2024. Composed of a socially conservative sect of The Left party, they promote left-wing economic policy with a very conservative anti-immigration and pro-Russia policy.
Regarding the election in Thuringia, the AfD and BSW have been ascendent. The AfD took home the largest vote-share, with 32.8% of the vote, trailed by the CDU at 23.6%, and surprisingly, the BSW at 15.8%. While only a state-level election, it signals a broader trend spreading throughout Germany—but especially the eastern, formerly communist, half of the nation. With much of AfD’s voter base being in the East, the rise of anti-immigrant, socially conservative, and populist rhetoric has a clear advantage in the region. Despite this, the popularity of the Left party there cannot be understated. But with the ascendancy of the BSW in Thuringia, the social-policy tide in German politics is shifting increasingly further to the right.
Because of this shift, we will continue to see socially far-right parties obtain victories in Germany, with the BSW playing a new defining role. As a party that holds both left and right-wing positions, they are liable to play a vital role in the growth of AfD political power. Coalition building has been incredibly difficult for AfD, as the German political mainstream has opted to refuse to form any government with AfD. But, with the increasing growth of the BSW, they may not have the same scruples as the German political establishment. While it is too early to tell the ultimate impact that the recent BSW victory will have, the party will no doubt have an important role to play in the growth of socially far-right politics in an increasingly extreme German political sphere.