Politics · Germany · 6 hrs ago
Söder urges conservatives who backed AfD speaker to identify themselves
Tobias Rausch of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was elected speaker of the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt last week.
The secret ballot means it is not known which conservative bloc members voted for him.
Bavaria’s leader, Markus Söder, has urged those members to come forward.
He said they should show some “backbone” and make clear if they want to leave the bloc.
The AfD’s Saxony-Anhalt chapter is classified as right-wing extremist.
Rausch’s election was the first time an AfD member had held such a position and the first time in postwar Germany that a right-wing extremist had reached this rank.
Bavarian leader Markus Söder called on conservative bloc members in Saxony-Anhalt who voted for AfD lawmaker Tobias Rausch as parliamentary speaker to identify themselves.
Rausch was elected state parliamentary speaker last week in a secret ballot.
The election was the first time an AfD member had held such a position, and the first time in postwar Germany that a right-wing extremist had risen to that rank.
Söder said the members who backed Rausch should show “backbone.”
- Who
- Markus Söder called on conservative bloc members in Saxony-Anhalt to come forward.
- What
- He urged members who voted for AfD lawmaker Tobias Rausch as state parliamentary speaker to identify themselves.
- When
- Söder made the call on October 12, 2026; Rausch was elected last week.
- Where
- Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
- Why
- Söder said the members should come forward; a further reason is not stated.
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Tobias Rausch of the AfD was elected state parliamentary speaker in Saxony-Anhalt.
Söder called on conservative bloc members who voted for Rausch to identify themselves.
- Speaker-elect
- Tobias Rausch
- Party
- Alternative for Germany (AfD)
- State
- Saxony-Anhalt
- Election
- Last week
- Söder’s office
- Bavarian state premier
Sources
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