A senior candidate from Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has faced criticism after suggesting that weapons production in Saxony-Anhalt could help support his party’s plans to deport irregular migrants.
Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD’s candidate for premier of Saxony-Anhalt, made the comments while responding to questions about plans by Israeli defence company Elbit Systems to establish a production facility in the state.
Speaking after an AfD meeting in Magdeburg, Siegmund said his party was not opposed to arms manufacturing in principle. He argued that weapons production could potentially provide equipment relevant to what he described as a future campaign of “remigration” and deportation.
Siegmund said any proposed arms project should be assessed individually, including the type of equipment to be produced and the conditions surrounding its manufacture. He also said the AfD would consider whether an investment could contribute to Germany becoming involved in foreign conflicts.
His comments triggered criticism from political opponents, who accused the AfD of connecting military production with its plans for large-scale migrant removals.
Katja Paehle, parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats (SPD) in Saxony-Anhalt, described Siegmund’s remarks as deeply concerning. She said references to weapons alongside the party’s deportation plans suggested that the AfD was presenting violence as a political tool.
Paehle rejected the suggestion that Siegmund had simply misspoken, calling the remarks a political threat.
Fabio De Masi, co-chair of the left-populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), also criticised the statement. The BSW is the only party represented in the new state parliament that has remained open to discussions with the AfD.
De Masi argued that the AfD was using its support for increased military production to justify an investment by Elbit Systems, particularly in connection with the party’s “remigration” agenda. He accused the AfD of provoking controversy rather than preparing to govern.
Elbit Systems, one of Israel’s major defence companies, produces a range of military equipment and technologies, including drones, artillery systems, rocket launchers and communications equipment. Reports say the company is considering a production site in Sangerhausen, Saxony-Anhalt.
The proposed investment has also attracted criticism because of concerns over the use of Israeli weapons and military technology in the Gaza conflict.
Siegmund’s comments come days after the AfD secured a major victory in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election. The party received 43.8 percent of the vote and won 39 of the 83 seats in the Magdeburg state parliament.
The result left the AfD three seats short of the 42 required to govern alone.
The BSW won five seats, making it the only party in the new parliament that has indicated a willingness to hold talks with the AfD. However, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), SPD, Greens and Left Party have ruled out cooperation or coalition arrangements with the far-right party.
The parties opposing cooperation with the AfD have pointed to its classification by Saxony-Anhalt’s domestic intelligence service as a confirmed right-wing extremist organisation.
The election result has therefore created a difficult political situation in the state, with the AfD holding the largest share of seats but lacking the majority needed to form a government on its own.
The controversy surrounding Siegmund’s remarks is likely to add to the debate over how the AfD would approach migration, deportations, security and defence policy if it were able to play a leading role in governing Saxony-Anhalt.