Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer believes that the current CDU-led government in Saxony-Anhalt may remain effectively in power even if they lose the state election. Speaking to Stern, he predicted that the AfD will fail to secure an absolute majority of mandates, which would prevent them from entering the government. Weimer feels that it is a very likely scenario that an incumbent will remain in office because the parliament would not elect a new Minister President. “It doesn’t have to,” Weimer stated. “And if this government stays in office, then it just stays.”
According to the rules in Saxony-Anhalt, the Minister Presidents and ministers are obligated to continue managing affairs until their successors officially take office. For the initial vote to select the Minister President, there is no deadline. If no one achieves a majority in this first round, a new vote must take place within seven days. If the election still does not achieve the required majority in that second round, the state parliament must decide within a further fourteen days whether the legislative period should be ended or if another vote should be held; in that final round, the winner is whoever receives the majority of cast votes.
Weimer dismissed any prospect of the CDU making inroads with the AfD. “If you open a door, your room starts to smell,” he commented, suggesting he would not attempt such a move. He expressed considerable faith in the CDU’s regional association in Saxony-Anhalt, believing it would remain stable. Although CDU polling currently places them well behind the AfD in the state, the election is set for September 6th. Amid growing nervousness among the Union leadership regarding the post-election outcome in the Magdeburg Landtag, elections are also scheduled for September in Berlin and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In Weimer’s view, the AfD will ultimately not achieve power anywhere. “In all three states, the AfD will eventually be insignificant,” he concluded.
