Magdeburg (ANTARA) - Saxony-Anhalt, a relatively small state in\neastern Germany with a population of just over two million, rarely\nattracts the world\u2019s attention.<\/p>\n
Yet on Sunday (6\/9), Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, became\nthe centre of political upheaval in Germany after the far-right party,\nAlternative for Germany (Alternative f\u00fcr Deutschland\/AfD), recorded a\nhistoric event by winning the state general election with around 44 per\ncent of the vote.<\/p>\n
The result marks an unprecedented setback for the ruling Christian\nDemocratic Union (CDU) and places the AfD in a position to appoint a\nstate governor for the first time.<\/p>\n
The political divide was clearly visible on the streets of Magdeburg\nover the past weekend as the election was held.<\/p>\n
On Saturday (5\/9) local time, thousands of residents gathered at\nMagdeburg\u2019s Cathedral Square (Domplatz), unfurling banners in defence of\npluralism and democracy.<\/p>\n
Music echoed across the square, but the mood among the majority of\nparticipants was one of unspoken concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the cultural landscape here is strangled, I will pack my bags,\u201d\nsaid Anja, an artist who travelled from Magdeburg\u2019s neighbouring city,\nLeipzig, as reported by Xinhua.<\/p>\n
Anja fears that an AfD-led government would cut public funding for\nthe arts and restrict the space for freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
Not far from the location, Matea, a local physiotherapist,\nacknowledged that widespread frustration had increased support for the\nAfD. She said she, too, was deeply dissatisfied with various policies of\nthe federal government.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, handing power to the AfD would only make things worse,\u201d she\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Less than two kilometres away, outside the AMO Kulturhaus building, a\nline of police vans formed a security perimeter surrounding a sharply\ncontrasting scene.<\/p>\n
The AfD\u2019s final campaign rally before the election had drawn large\ncrowds, with some supporters standing along the pavements.<\/p>\n
They applauded and cheered in support of Ulrich Siegmund (35), the\nAfD\u2019s lead candidate, whom they described as \u201ca good figure\u201d.<\/p>\n
Bastian (40) travelled across Germany from North Rhine-Westphalia to\nattend the rally. The employee of an automotive parts supplier viewed\neastern Germany as the frontline of a broader national wave of\nresistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look at the young apprentices in our factory and wonder whether\ntheir jobs will still exist in five years,\u201d he said. He cited economic\nstagnation and uncontrolled immigration as reasons why he wanted to\n\u201cbring back the Germany of the past\u201d.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, these clashing anxieties quietly converged at the polling\nstations.<\/p>\n
Outside a polling station in the city centre, Lieas (20), a student\nof Syrian descent, stepped forward to cast his vote for the Green Party,\nhoping to help smaller parties clear the 5 per cent electoral threshold\nand prevent the AfD from winning an outright majority.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to use our voting rights strategically,\u201d said Lieas,\ndescribing the election as \u201cextremely important\u201d.<\/p>\n
Lieas said his younger brother was preparing to move to Germany for\nuniversity. Lieas had given his brother clear advice: avoid\nSaxony-Anhalt and consider other regions in Germany.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe atmosphere here is changing, and that is very worrying,\u201d he\nadded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/afd-victory-reflects-political-polarisation-in-magdeburg-1788796417", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }