After yesterday’s vote in the Saxony-Anhalt Landtag, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) now holds the office of state parliament president for the first time in any German state. After winning the role, which is similar to a speaker position, 35-year-old Tobias Rausch sent shockwaves through the German political establishment when he confirmed he won with the support of Christian Democratic Union (CDU) votes. The backing of four CDU lawmakers could be one of the most concrete signs that the political firewall against the AfD is crumbling.

The newly elected president of Saxony-Anhalt’s state parliament said Wednesday that members of the conservative CDU voted for him. Perhaps even more importantly, he said that four CDU lawmakers have agreed to back the AfD’s candidate for state premier in December, which means Ulrich Siegmund could soon be the first AfD politician leading a state government.

Rausch gave a direct “yes” when Nius editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt asked on “Nius Live” whether CDU deputies had helped elect him. Asked whether Tuesday’s result signaled that AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund would safely take office as minister-president in December, Rausch replied, “That is to be assumed.”

BREAKING NIUS: Bei NIUS Live bestätigt AfD-Landtagspräsident Tobias Rausch, dass er von CDU-Abgeordneten ins Amt gewählt wurde. Es habe dazu klare Absprachen zwischen AfD und CDU gegeben, und die vier CDU-Abgeordneten werden im Dezember auch für Ulrich Siegmund als Ministerpräsident stimmen und ihm damit die notwendige Mehrheit sichern.

— Julian Reichelt (@jreichelt) October 7, 2026

He told the German press agency dpa that there were agreements with four CDU members of parliament for Siegmund’s election.

He added that more might become clear at a CDU state party conference on Dec. 5, but declined to elaborate. Acting state premier and CDU floor leader Sven Schulze did not comment on the claims when asked by dpa.

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Rausch was elected Tuesday in the constitutive session of the 83-seat Landtag in Magdeburg with 48 votes, 29 against and five abstentions. It was the first time the AfD, parts of which are classified as extremist by German domestic intelligence, has held the presidency of a state parliament since the party was founded in 2013.

The AfD holds 39 seats after winning 43.8% of the vote in the Sept. 6 state election, three short of a majority. The five lawmakers of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance had said in advance they would support Rausch, accounting for 44 votes. The additional four came in a secret ballot. SPD, Green and Left lawmakers had said they would vote no. The CDU leadership had recommended that its members abstain; 14 of the party’s 15 deputies were present, but only five abstentions were recorded in the chamber.

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The speaker chairs sessions, oversees the parliamentary administration and represents the Landtag externally, including at ceremonial events.

However, the far more consequential vote is expected in December, when lawmakers choose a minister-president. Siegmund needs at least 42 votes, and so far, the BSW has not committed to supporting him for that post.

Meanwhile, Schulze of the CDU remains acting premier until a successor is chosen.

Later Tuesday, AfD lawmaker Hans-Thomas Tillschneider was elected a vice president with 44 votes to 38, even though the BSW said its members would not support him because of statements he had made on armaments policy.

CDU lawmaker Carsten Borchert was chosen as another deputy president with 64 votes in favor and 17 against. SPD candidate Armin Willingmann received 33 votes and failed.

AfD national co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla congratulated the party and described the result as an end to the “firewall” that mainstream parties have maintained against cooperation with the AfD.

However, the national CDU is not happy about the outcome in Saxony-Anhalt. CDU/CSU parliamentary group chairman Thorsten Frei said, “The fact that this is the case is, in my view, extremely concerning and worrying.”

The post Germany: After AfD politician wins state speaker position in historic vote, he confirms he won with the help of the CDU appeared first on Remix News.

The lead candidate for Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, has tied a potential Israeli arms manufacturer’s arrival in Sangerhausen to the party’s planned large-scale removal of foreigners required to leave Germany.

He said the Israeli company could be used in some capacity for a “remigration and deportation offensive.”

Siegmund zu neuen Rüstungsindustrieprojekten.


Ich glaub, ich höre nicht richtig. pic.twitter.com/y6mItBYIdb

— doro hoff (@liberal_dvh) September 10, 2026

Siegmund’s statement has provoked considerable outrage, including from the left-wing party BSW, a potential coalition partner.

Speaking at a Magdeburg state parliament press conference, Siegmund declined to take a firm position on whether Elbit Systems should set up operations in the town.

He then connected military production to the AfD’s broader agenda: “We do not demonize the production of armaments across the board, because we will of course also need appropriate support in the later remigration and deportation offensive.”

Linking weapons production to a “remigration and deportation offensive“ quickly went viral on social media, with Essen SPD politician Ali Kaan Sevinc writing: “Now, Ulrich Siegmund is shedding his smiling facade and showing his true face and the AfD.“

Jetzt legt Ulrich #Siegmund die lächelnde Fassade ab und zeigt sein wahres Gesicht und der #AfD – Rüstungsgüter für „#Remigration“ verwenden wollen. Was. Zur. Hölle! #SachsenAnhalt pic.twitter.com/HuNgiUhFtQ

— Ali Kaan Sevinc (@AliKaanSevinc) September 10, 2026

Former CDU General Secretary Ruprecht Polenz commented: “This is called ethnic cleansing.”

The prospect of Elbit establishing a presence has already drawn local opposition, according to Welt. The BSW party is organizing protests together with residents of Sangerhausen against the Israeli company.

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Siegmund did not clarify how the arms company would participate in remigration efforts.

The BSW is the only party that said it was open to meeting with the AfD to form a government coalition and the two parties are expected to meet in the near future. Notably, the BSW is considered a party with a strong opposition to Israel and routinely features images of destruction in Gaza and of Palestinian children in its campaign posters.

The AfD itself has a more nuanced stance on Israel, with some in the party known for their strong support of the Middle Eastern nation. However, the AfD leadership has signaled strong criticism of Israel, in particular Tino Chrupalla, who has called on Germany to stop supplying weapons to Israel and stop its “one-sided support” of Israel.

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BSW federal chairman Fabio de Masi responded to Siegmund’s remark on X: “This shows they don’t want to govern at all and are desperately looking for a way out through provocation.”

AfD defense spokesman Rüdiger Lucassen defended Siegmund’s comments. He noted that deportations fall primarily under the responsibility of the state government and are normally carried out by state police. Once migrants reach the airport, however, German Federal Police assume control, since airports and airspace are within federal jurisdiction.

Lucassen added that the Bundeswehr could still play a supporting role: “Of course, the German Armed Forces can be deployed as part of administrative assistance for deportation flights.”

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Israel’s Elbit Systems produces drones, howitzers and rocket launchers, among other military systems, but it remains unclear which items would be produced in Sangerhausen.

Siegmund stressed that the AfD does not reject arms production in principle: “Of course, also in the interest of internal security, its own stability and national defense. We are aware of that. That doesn’t fall from the sky.”

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He drew a distinction, however, regarding exports, “But there is a big difference between sending armaments into foreign wars, even at our expense. And this puts us at risk of participating in foreign conflicts.”

Siegmund said the party is following developments in Sangerhausen but added that the economic benefits of a possible arms factory should not be ignored.

“Let’s take a close look: What is being produced there, under what conditions? And does this put us at risk of participating in foreign conflicts? Then, we see this as more than critical,” he added, signaling he may not back the arms factory in the end.

He concluded that the party has not yet taken a final stance on the project because the party has not received all the information they need to make a decision.

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