Saxon state parliament debates war and peace

The majority of the Saxon state parliament believes that the Bundestag and the federal government are responsible for peace policy initiatives. Parliament rejected an AfD motion on this topic. It called on the government in Dresden, for example, to lobby the federal government to refrain from stationing US missiles in Germany. The AfD and the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) voted in favor, the rest against. One BSW member abstained.

The AfD had placed its initiative under the motto "Peace instead of missiles". AfD leader Jörg Urban made it clear that almost 60 percent of East Germans were against the deployment. At the same time, he called for a reduction in the Russian missile threat potential in the Kaliningrad region and Belarus. The demand for disarmament must be made in both directions. It was time to call for a policy of détente. With the deployment, Germany is potentially becoming a target.

Representatives of other parliamentary groups attacked Urban and his party in an emotional debate. The AfD is not concerned with peace on the 1000th day of the war, but with the capitulation of Ukraine, explained Justice Minister Katja Meier (Greens). Left-wing politician Stefan Hartmann called the AfD a "cannon and butter party", as it advocates rearmament with its demands for compulsory military service and its approval of the Bundeswehr's special fund. The AfD motion was therefore a deceptive maneuver and a facade.

Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) found conciliatory tones. At the end of his speech, he said that they were not united on the path, but were united on the goal. Prior to this, he outlined the situation from his point of view: "The Russian threat potential and hostile Russian activities on European soil endanger our internal and external security." NATO must react to the deployment of Russian missiles. Russia is also waging a hybrid war in Europe. These shadow wars are reminiscent of the darkest days of the Cold War.

During the debate, a disruptive man shouted out loudly. The man, who left a confused impression, was led out of the hall by security personnel.