German State’s New Far-Right Leader

Tobias Rausch of the Alternative für Deutschland was elected president of Saxony-Anhalt’s state parliament yesterday. A far-right legislator hasn’t held this position, the most powerful in the state parliament, since World War ii.

• Also, AfD candidate Hans-Thomas Tillschneider was elected deputy president of the state parliament.

The vote took place during the first session of the state parliament since the AfD’s historic win on September 6, when it secured nearly 44 percent of the vote, a larger share than any other party.

• The AfD is not a typical right-wing party. Along with advocating for immigration restrictions, radical Islam and transgenderism, its candidates have also called for celebrating Germany’s world war “accomplishments.”

What is notable about Rausch’s election is that the AfD has only 39 of the 83 seats in Saxony-Anhalt’s parliament, yet Rausch received 48 votes. Those extra votes came from the left-wing Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht party and likely from members of the mainstream Christian Democratic Union.

• Despite the AfD being an extremist party, other parties have helped appoint one of its members to preside over the state parliament.

The “firewall,” an unofficial agreement of parties in Germany not to support the AfD and other extremist, right-wing parties, has been breached in Saxony-Anhalt. Extremist beliefs are increasingly tolerated and even supported in Germany—a favorable political climate for a tyrant to take power, just as the Bible prophesies will happen.