Ulrich Siegmund, the top AfD candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, could staff significantly more positions with party members if his party takes control of the regional government following the election on September 6th, potentially filling far more than the previously estimated 150 to 200 roles. According to the newspaper “Bild”, there are currently over 2,500 open government positions in the state. These roles remain unfilled because budget laws for 2025 and 2026 prohibit the filling of vacant posts as a measure to save money.
Kristin Heiß, a finance policy expert for the Left parliamentary group and speaking to the newspaper, stated that this hiring freeze actually benefits the AfD. She fears that an AfD finance minister could quickly lift this restriction, allowing the state to begin filling these vacant positions.
