Germany’s far-right AfD and left-wing populist BSW party now hold a majority in an eastern state parliament. Their first joint proposal: End aid to Ukraine and restore ties with Russia.

Filed 58m ago · Via Meduza · The Buffoon Desk

THIS STORY IS SCORED

Krampus Workshop

Kevin MacLeod · incompetech.com · CC BY 4.0

Photo: Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken · CC BY-SA 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons

The AfD and the Union for Social Justice, now holding a combined majority in Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament after the AfD's record 43.8% showing, plan to jointly pass a resolution calling the EU's Ukraine aid and Russia sanctions a failure. The measure, up for a vote October 14, calls for an immediate ceasefire, peace talks with Russia, and restored economic ties including resumed gas supplies.

Both outlets covering the vote note it is purely symbolic, since German states have no authority over foreign policy. The AfD's foreign policy spokesperson has nonetheless already been in direct talks with Gazprom's chief about restarting gas flows, a notable initiative for a party with no actual say in the matter.

The full dispatch is available from the source below.

✒ FROM THE EDITORIAL DESK

Two parties who agree on almost nothing found the one thing they could shake hands on, and it happens to be the thing Moscow wants most. A state legislature passing a resolution it has zero power to enforce is mostly for show, like a town council voting to disapprove of the weather. Worth watching anyway, since symbolic votes have a way of becoming real ones once enough state parliaments say the same line out loud.

Source: Read the original at Meduza → Scored: Krampus Workshop · Kevin MacLeod · CC BY 4.0