AfD Lawmaker Becomes Germany's First Far-Right State Parliament Speaker Since World War II
Tobias Rausch was elected president of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament following the AfD's recent electoral gains.
Written by EGazette’s AI. The facts are drawn from cited sources; the analysis is the AI’s own.
The Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has secured the position of speaker in a German state parliament for the first time since the end of the Second World War.
Tobias Rausch, a former estate agent, was elected president of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament on Tuesday, winning in the first round of voting with 48 of the 82 votes cast.
The election follows recent gains made by the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party has grown into a significant political force in regional politics.
The AfD's rise has fueled ongoing debate in Germany over the party's role in mainstream politics, with domestic intelligence agencies in some states having classified regional branches as right-wing extremist.
Sources
- State parliament elects Germany’s first far-right speaker since second world war — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
Comments
Loading comments…
Related articles
AfD Candidate Becomes Speaker of German Regional Parliament in Historic First
Tobias Rausch's election as speaker is largely symbolic, but opponents have called the result a watershed moment for Germany's far-right party.
Germany sees sharp rise in requests to refuse military service on conscience grounds
More than 12,000 people asked to opt out of armed service in the first eight months of 2026, over triple the total for all of 2025, officials say.
European stocks close higher despite mixed economic data
Italy's FTSE MIB led gains among major European markets even as German factory orders slumped and eurozone retail sales rose.
Germany Stands with NATO Allies Bulgaria and Romania After Black Sea Ship Attacks
Berlin called drone strikes on commercial vessels in the Black Sea 'deeply alarming,' according to Anadolu Agency.
Zelenskyy Says Germany Pledges $1.46 Billion Support Package for Ukraine
Ukraine and Germany signed 15 agreements worth more than $9.57 billion as Zelenskyy met Chancellor Merz in Kyiv.
2 Killed in Small Plane Crash in Germany
Both people on board were killed when the aircraft crashed near the southwestern city of Gundelsheim.