Former Constitutional Protection President Hans-Georg Maaßen may become the Interior Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, assuming the AfD forms a government there after the state election scheduled for September. This report comes from the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”.
According to the report, Maaßen stated that he “would do it if it helps the country”. While the state chapter of the AfD has not officially commented on the potential role, several influential local politicians have confirmed that the discussion is actively taking place. One of them reported, “Hans-Georg Maaßen is a name that is in discussion, yes”.
Maaßen also told “Die Zeit” that he had spoken with AfD top candidate Ulrich Siegmund on “one or other occasion”. Sources indicated that Siegmund warned Maaßen that “if the AfD fails to deliver, that is also a damage to the federal party”. Regarding political leadership, Maaßen argued that proficiency as an election campaigner does not guarantee that someone will be effective in governance. He added that Siegmund requires competent and professional people surrounding him in order to prevent a “shipwreck”. When asked whether he himself had been approached about taking the Interior Ministry position, Maaßen declined to comment.
The political background for the potential change centers on the upcoming election. A new state parliament is being elected in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6th. Current polls show the AfD is close to achieving an absolute majority, securing 41 percent of the vote. All other political parties combining their efforts are estimated to achieve a total of around 45 percent.
