The Health Ministry of Saxony-Anhalt, headed by Petra Grimm-Benne (SPD), has criticized the Alternative for Germany (AfD)’s announcement regarding the establishment of an investigative committee into the Corona pandemic. The Ministry informed the “Mitteldeutsche Zeitung” that the use of “militant language,” even before the committee is set up, which appears to call for the accountability of those deemed guilty, suggests “a tribunal with a fundamentally biased slant, rather than a reflection open to outcomes.” However, the Ministry added that it “naturally intends to respect any eventual parliamentary majority will.”
Both the AfD and the BSW seek to establish a Corona investigative committee in the new state parliament. Such committees are intended to examine the actions taken by state authorities, allowing for the questioning of witnesses under oath and the demand for official documents. Given that the AfD is currently the strongest single force in the parliament, it already possesses enough votes to establish such a committee alone.
The AfD emphasized the creation of this U-Ausschuss in its 100-day program during the election campaign. Their platform stated that “the established parties imposed an unprecedented limitation of fundamental rights during the Corona period through irrational fear politics and moral pressure.” Furthermore, they alleged that “the measures were unjust, and consequently, all fines and convictions for violating the measures were also unjust.” The proposed committee aims to “process this injustice, name the guilty parties, and bring them to account.” Currently, the AfD and BSW are engaged in exploratory talks about joint political projects, which include the planned Corona committee.
It is worth noting that a special government commission had already submitted a critical analysis of the authorities’ actions in Saxony-Anhalt in 2025. The commission’s final report provided numerous recommendations regarding future pandemic handling. Furthermore, the ruling coalition of CDU, SPD, and FDP established a special Corona fund worth approximately two billion euros in 2021, intended to better prepare the state for future pandemics and support the damaged economy.
