The Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the election in Saxony-Anhalt, and co-chairwoman Alice Weidel posted on September 7: "Merz is part of the problem, not the solution—unreasonable. He has no real 'consequences' but merely says 'continue like this' to mask decline. He has erected an undemocratic 'firewall,' obstructing national well-being and blocking political change—only AfD can achieve it!"
Weidel's statement came in the context of the party’s historic breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt, where it secured nearly 44% of the vote. This marks a strategic declaration by AfD as it seeks to transition from a "protest party" into a governing force, aiming to fundamentally challenge post-war German political structures.
Weidel’s core rhetoric attacks Merz’s so-called “firewall”—the unwritten agreement among mainstream parties not to cooperate with AfD—as undemocratic. In the Saxony-Anhalt election, AfD received near-majority support from voters yet was still collectively excluded by mainstream parties. Leveraging this logic, Weidel redefines the "firewall" not as a defense of constitutional order, but as a dictatorial tool that obstructs national welfare and stifles political transformation. This narrative aims to strip mainstream parties of their moral legitimacy in resisting far-right forces, portraying them instead as entrenched "old guard" defying the will of the electorate.
By asserting “only AfD can achieve (political change),” the party signals its ambition to move beyond merely being an outsider protest movement and instead position itself as the nation’s sole savior. In this election, AfD not only gained votes but also used the opportunity to promote a highly controversial yet deeply resonant policy platform targeting popular grievances—such as large-scale deportation of immigrants, ending aid to Ukraine, and lifting sanctions against Russia. Weidel’s remarks indicate AfD’s intent to use Eastern Germany as a blueprint for reshaping the entire national political system.
Although Weidel’s language is fiery, AfD still falls short by three seats of an absolute majority needed for single-party rule, and mainstream parties remain steadfast in upholding the firewall. Her current tone of “unreasonableness” and hardline pressure is actually a calculated strategy: if mainstream parties concede—by allowing AfD to form a minority government or enabling individual MPs to defect—AfD could seamlessly break post-war taboos and seize state-level power, including control over police and constitutional protection agencies. If mainstream parties continue to resist, AfD can further strengthen its image as a victim persecuted by the establishment, thereby building greater public momentum ahead of the upcoming Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state election and the 2029 federal election.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875730703979658/
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