AfD politician elected president of Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament

The state parliament (Landtag) of Saxony-Anhalt, a German federal state, elected a new president on Tuesday. The position will now be held by Tobias Rausch, a representative of the right-wing eurosceptic party Alternative for Germany (AfD).

AfD is a right-wing, eurosceptic party that has strengthened its standing in several German federal states in recent years. Saxony-Anhalt is one of the states located in the former East Germany, a region where the party traditionally enjoys stronger support than in the west of the country.

Significance of the post

The position of Landtag president is considered one of the formally highest and most representative offices within a German federal state's parliamentary system. An AfD politician taking on this role is seen as a notable development in the party's growing political influence at the regional level.

Rausch's election took place during Tuesday's session of the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament. The source material does not provide further details on the course of the vote or its subsequent political consequences.