Most of the laws that shape the expansion of renewable energy sources, the phase-out of coal plants and emissions reduction in various sectors are decided at the national level and leave state governments little wiggle room regarding implementation. “Especially regarding energy policy, many laws are made exclusively at the federal level. And any state government will have to abide by them whether they like it or not,” said BEE head Heinen-Esser ahead of the election.
Yet, an AfD-led government could still complicate implementation on the ground, she added in a statement after the election. “It’s currently unclear what the next state government will look like. But it is clear that whoever slows down the renewable energy industry makes it more difficult to secure investments and puts jobs and prosperity at risk.” According to the BEE, about 26,000 jobs in the state are directly linked to renewable energy.
In its election manifesto, the far-right party promised to introduce obstacles to the expansion of wind and solar power in Saxony-Anhalt. Although federal laws protect the rollout of renewables, making promises like a wind power moratorium unlikely to hold up in court, drawn-out legal battles would still translate into difficulties for many investors, and obstruct the growth of renewable energy capacity.
Beyond the immediate effects on the ground, a government run by a party that denies human-caused global warming and rejects decarbonisation measures outright could also undermine efforts to research, understand and prepare for the consequences of climate change, said political scientist Michael Böcher, a researcher for sustainable development from the University of Magdeburg. Education and research are among the policy areas where German states have the most autonomy, and it is likely the party would try to exert its influence as much as possible here, Böcher argued. “Researchers in the state are, of course, worried about how an AfD victory could impact the academic landscape.”
The far-right party has said it plans a purge of the state’s administration, replacing civil servants in key positions with ideologically aligned allies. Beyond education and research, this could affect environmental policy if AfD-appointed department heads drag their feet when implementing EU regulations or handling infringement proceedings.
The prospect of a far-right government is also causing concerns among civil society groups, such as environmental NGO BUND. If the AfD got into power, “there is little doubt that the party would cut public funding of organisations that are critical of them as much as possible,” said Christian Kunz, executive manager at BUND’s Saxony-Anhalt state branch. Many environmental NGOs depend on the public contracts for a substantial part of their funding, Kunz said, meaning the anti-climate action party therefore could directly hit their financial foundations.
