Rainer Robra, the Head of the State Office in Saxony-Anhalt (CDU), warned against viewing the AfD’s electoral victory in the state as solely an Eastern problem. Speaking to publications in the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland,” Robra stated that the AfD is fundamentally a party of Western elites, noting that its leading figures originate from that region.
He emphasized that the party operates around an agenda that is “German-national in character,” rather than having a specific policy framework tailored for Saxony-Anhalt. Consequently, Robra argued that what was happening at the federal level was the decisive factor in the AfD’s success. He pointed out that the AfD was consistently quick to react to issues like fuel prices or the Ukraine conflict, whereas the CDU felt that land-specific issues were less impactful.
Furthermore, Robra advised observers to wait and see what the local elections in North Rhine-Westphalia-such as in the Ruhr area-will reveal. He also insisted that the AfD is no longer a minor force in the West that can be overlooked. While acknowledging that the results in Saxony-Anhalt (43 percent) or Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (38 percent) represent a different dimension than the 20 or 25 percent seen in Western states or municipalities, he stressed that these smaller figures cannot be neglected either.
Robra also expressed understanding regarding why so many voters supported the AfD in the local elections on September 6th. He suggested that, despite all that has transpired, many Eastern Germans feel disadvantaged-a sense that is, in part, economically justified. He added that the AfD appeals to this feeling without offering a concrete plan to solve the underlying problems, particularly because the federal government has “raised expectations that it has failed to meet.”
Regarding proposals to react to an AfD government takeover with financial sanctions, the State Office Head dismissed the idea as “absurd.” He asserted that the Basic Law mandates compensatory mechanisms between economically strong and weak states. Moreover, the recent economic strength of Western states was significantly aided by young people migrating from Eastern Germany. Therefore, Robra argued that threatening sanctions in this situation is both incomprehensible and unconstitutional. He concluded that the fundamental solidarity within Germany, aimed at establishing equal living conditions nationwide, must not be questioned.
Robra himself served in various state governments in Saxony-Anhalt for 28 years and held a position in the Federal Council for an unusually long period.
