How convenient.
Germany's AfD party has been prevented from forming a government after officials announced that they had made a counting error we can reveal.
Saxony's State Election had initially been won by the AfD Party but when it was realised that the party had won enough seats to take overall power officials suddenly said they'd made an error and that a recount would have to take place. Following that recount officials announced that the AfD had one less seat than initially thought, giving that seat to AfD rivals the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
I.E.N. reports
Saxony's recent state election has been subject to a stark correction due to a computational glitch, fundamentally altering the region's political dynamics.
The error, which was acknowledged by the state's election commissioner, Martin Richter, has resulted in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) losing a crucial seat, thereby relinquishing its anticipated "blocking minority" in the state parliament.
The initial results had painted a picture where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was poised to wield significant influence with a "blocking minority," courtesy of what was thought to be 41 seats. However, the corrected tally now shows the AfD with 40 seats, stripping them of this critical leverage.
This seat has instead been redistributed, with the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Greens each gaining one, subtly tipping the scales in the parliament. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), led by Minister-President Michael Kretschmer, has maintained its narrow lead with 31.9% of the vote, despite also losing one seat in the recount.
This recalibration nullifies the AfD's potential to obstruct certain legislative processes that require a two-thirds majority, including the appointment of constitutional court judges and the dissolution of parliament for new elections. The error correction has effectively quashed premature celebrations among AfD supporters, who had jubilantly anticipated leveraging their "blocking minority" to exert unprecedented influence over Saxony's governance. From Near Defeat to Narrow Victory: Höcke's Electoral Rollercoaster Meanwhile, in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, a leading figure in the AfD, has experienced a rollercoaster of emotions. Despite the AfD's strong performance in the state, Höcke failed to win his direct mandate in the Greiz II constituency, where CDU candidate Christian Tischner emerged victorious.
However, Höcke secured a lifeline by being placed first on the party list, which awarded him the last available seat. A significant administrative error occurred where Höcke's signature, necessary for candidate eligibility, was missing for the constituencies of Wartburgkreis I and II, resulting in no AfD candidates being listed there. The absence of AfD candidates in Wartburgkreis I and II likely cost the party potential direct victories, as these constituencies showed strong support for AfD in terms of second votes. The Paradox of Electoral Success - Strategic or Serendipitous? Höcke's survival in politics came not through a direct mandate but via the party list, where he was positioned first.
This twist of fate was influenced by an administrative oversight, inadvertently ensuring there was still a list seat for him when all other seats were won directly by AfD candidates. Had the AfD candidates run and won in Wartburgkreis I and II, Höcke would have been left without a seat, as all 32 seats would have been filled by direct winners. Höcke's political journey is marked by controversy, and this election episode adds to his narrative of narrowly navigating the political landscape.
The oversight raises questions about the administrative rigor within the AfD, particularly given the significance of Höcke's signature for electoral eligibility. Höcke's continuation in the Landtag via the list rather than direct election reflects both his personal political strategy and the quirks of electoral law. The scenario where potential direct mandates were not contested due to an administrative error might have misrepresented voter intentions in those constituencies.
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