Germany's AfD Party Investigates Software Error, Calls for End to Mail-In Voting

Software Glitch Investigation

Despite coming out on top in the Saxony elections, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is investigating an alleged computer error that they claim cost them a parliamentary seat. They are also advocating for the termination of mail-in voting due to security concerns and questionable practices. The party is particularly interested in a supposed software malfunction that led to both the AfD and the Christian Democrats (CDU) losing a seat, while the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD) gained one. The party has announced its intention to investigate this incident. Jörg Urban, the AfD’s state and parliamentary group leader, stated, “We want to know exactly what went wrong.” He is calling for a detailed error analysis and has stated that any irregularities will result in legal action. This loss of a seat meant the AfD lost its blocking majority, which could have allowed them to prevent the appointment of certain judges in the state. The AfD and CDU were initially allocated an incorrect number of seats due to the error. Following a review, the state election management corrected the allocation of seats, as reported by the German news outlet Leipziger Volkzeitung. Urban clarified that no one is being accused of vote manipulation, but any doubt about the final election result must be eliminated. The election commission of Saxony has faced criticism due to this error, casting doubt on the election results during an already contentious election.

Mail-In Ballots

In the wake of the results in Thuringia and Saxony, Tino Chrupalla, AfD co-leader, is advocating for the cessation of mail-in ballots. He expressed his concerns about this voting method during a conference with top AfD officials. Chrupalla highlighted that it is the opposition's duty to question the government's actions or election results. He also raised concerns about the security of ballot box storage, which in some cases is not legally secure, and access to these ballot boxes is limited to one or two individuals. Chrupalla also noted that postal voting has been a concern in other elections and these issues continue to arise. He pointed out a problem that other countries like the United States have faced, where activists enter retirement homes and potentially manipulate vulnerable elderly voters. In Germany, Chrupalla claimed that there have been instances where the CDU and SPD campaign in retirement and nursing homes run by Diakonie or Caritas, and the AfD is not given access to present their programs to the elderly. He considers such actions as undemocratic. Both Diakonie and Caritas are operated by the Protestant and Catholic churches, which have openly opposed the AfD, including expelling party members from the Church and urging Germans to vote against them. Chrupalla is advocating for the termination of postal voting, stating, “Personally, I would ban postal voting again. It has only been introduced as an exception or initiated in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is not the rule, it should not become the rule and it is not regulated by law in such a way that it is made the rule.”

Bottom Line

The AfD's investigation into the alleged software error and their call to end mail-in voting highlights the party's concerns about the integrity of the election process. It raises questions about the security and fairness of the voting system, not only in Germany but also in other countries. What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you believe the concerns raised by the AfD are valid? Share your thoughts and this article with your friends. Consider signing up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.