Ole von Beust criticizes AfD rise and Saxony-Anhalt election

Former Hamburg First Mayor Ole von Beust has expressed strong opposition to the Alternative for Germany (AfD), describing the party as “terrible” and “disgusting” during an appearance on the talk show “Maischberger.”

Von Beust criticized the recent election of an AfD politician as the state parliament president in Saxony-Anhalt. He noted that the candidate received more votes than the AfD and the BSW (Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht) hold combined, suggesting that four CDU members likely supported the election. He described this outcome as “tragic.”

Addressing the rise of the party, von Beust attributed its success to significant protest sentiment among the population. While maintaining a firm stance against the party, he also warned against pushing the AfD into a “martyr role” by denying them standard parliamentary procedures or committee chair positions, arguing that such actions could create an impression of unfair treatment.