Citing poor polling numbers in his state, Saxony-Anhalt, the Minister-President Sven Schulze has warned that the region faces a threat of becoming ungovernable. He expressed concern that the forthcoming election could severely damage the reputation of the current center-right federal government led by Friedrich Merz.
Speaking to the broadcaster Welt on Thursday, Schulze stated, “I do not want this election in Saxony-Anhalt to be a distraction that harms governing efforts in Berlin” noting a strong sense of dissatisfaction among the populace regarding national matters. While acknowledging that many people, including himself, feel uneasy about federal policy, he emphasized the importance of focusing on their local home region. Despite the national discontent, he remained optimistic about his personal standing, pointing out that the majority indicated they still view him as the ideal Minister-President.
Schulze views the joint governance efforts between the CDU and SPD in Berlin as a detriment to his local campaign, arguing that federal policy constantly distracts from state-level issues. He pointed out that recent weeks have seen only national topics dominate public discourse, such as the visible price hike of diesel fuel or the rising cost of living. However, he added that the infighting within the federal government is equally damaging, a sentiment reflected in polls across other German states.
The CDU politician stressed that attention to local matters is crucial for determining outcomes at the state level. Regarding speculation about ending the cooperation ban with The Left Party or tearing down the “Berlin wall” Schulze refused to comment. Instead, he focused on the possibility of shifts in voter opinion before the election date. He asserted that, if current polls were definitive results, the state would be ungovernable, and stressed the necessity of campaigning to secure better electoral results. He concluded with confidence that the outcome on September 6th would prove different from what the polls suggest today.
Schulze also defended the claim made by his predecessor, Reiner Haseloff, that diplomas obtained in Saxony-Anhalt could lose value if the AfD were to take power. He stated this claim was accurate, suggesting that the AfD’s platform raises questions about the recognition value of diplomas obtained locally for university admission outside of Saxony-Anhalt. He recounted that he had promised high school students that he would fight to ensure that they would not be rejected from universities in cities like Hamburg or Munich, asserting that such rejections could occur because of alleged interference by a single political party into the core curriculum.
