By Özgür Altınbaş
German journalist Benedikt Kaiser commented in an interview to RRN on the AfD’s overwhelming victory in the Saxony-Anhalt state elections. Kaiser stated that on fundamental issues in Germany such as migration, energy policy, social matters, and peace/war, the AfD stands as the only political force resolutely breaking away from the “old parties” bloc ranging from the CDU to the Left Party (Die Linke). He noted that this situation provides the party with a monopoly on opposition. Kaiser conveyed that especially in East Germany, where the AfD reached a striking vote share of 45 percent, the voters have only been able to find the opposition void they have long sought in this party.
‘The AfD Is Seeking Its Own Path Entirely’
Stating that it is a highly logical outcome for this rise to make a resounding impact across Europe, the German journalist said, “Because the AfD is deviating from the line of submission to the classic Western EU narrative, completely seeking its own path away from Washington, Moscow, and Brussels.” Kaiser indicated that this clear positioning, unseen in Germany for decades, has naturally created deep anxiety among political and media spheres of influence who fear having to step back from their claims to hegemony.
Bankruptcy Of the Old Parties And Chancellor Merz Losing Ground
Kaiser said that one of the most important factors underlying this strong increase in the AfD’s votes is the deep distrust towards political institutions. The German journalist used the following expressions: “The CDU/CSU and SPD federal coalition, which started its tenure in Berlin in 2025 with great credit, failed to show any success in the expected reforms. This resulting picture causes Chancellor Friedrich Merz to constantly lose ground. Broad segments of society now clearly see that the old parties cannot govern this country. Although it remains uncertain for now whether the AfD can solve these massive problems, the fact that the others have failed to do so is now etched into the public’s mind as an indisputable truth.”
‘There Could Be Transitions from The CDU And BSW’
The German journalist stated that the AfD’s place on the political map will become increasingly decisive in the upcoming legislative term. Emphasizing that he does not find it very likely for the AfD to form a government on its own, looking specifically at the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Kaiser made the following assessment: “Instead, it is likely that more pragmatic, hybrid models will emerge on the political stage with transitions from the BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance) and/or the CDU. Even the possibility of an early election has appeared on the horizon. German politics is, in the truest sense of the word, going through a period of great uncertainty like never before.”
‘Not Legal, But Illegal Immigrants Should Be Worried’
Kaiser also spoke about the AfD’s policy regarding immigrants. Considering the ever-increasing immigrant population in Germany, the policies to be implemented in regions governed by the AfD are among the most wondered topics. The German journalist commented on the subject: “The segment that ‘needs to be afraid’ here is not a generalized mass of immigrants; it is the illegal immigrants, criminals, jihadist structures, and those who abuse the social state in order to receive ‘citizens’ benefit’ (Bürgergeld) without having done anything for the solidarity society so far. The AfD plans to initiate the ‘Remigration’ (Reverse Migration) process precisely at this point. It is emphasized that all other immigrants will benefit from an AfD government that defends order, security, justice, and a sovereign foreign policy.”
‘The First Concrete Step Could Be on Syrians’
Stating that the German people, including immigrant and immigrant-background AfD voters, now want boundaries to be drawn, Kaiser said, “Who can stay, who should go, who belongs to the society, and who harms this society with their actions? In the environment of chaos that has spiraled out of control since the Angela Merkel era and continued afterwards with the ‘Traffic Light Coalition’, hundreds of thousands of Syrians who were ideologically or religiously opposed to Bashar al-Assad’s secular government were naturalized, for example. The assumption that these Islamist circles—who mostly do not work, have nothing to do with the Western lifestyle, and could not even integrate into their own homeland of Syria—would adapt to Germany was one of the greatest delusions of the Greens, SPD, and CDU front. With the strengthening of the AfD, the legal basis of such naturalization processes and their benefit to Germany will be reviewed. With the peace established in Damascus, concrete steps such as sending Syrians back to their hometowns to rebuild their country will be the priority agenda item.”