German far-right leader offers to back left-wing populist as premier

Far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) firebrand Björn Höcke has offered to back left-wing populist Sahra Wagenknecht as premier in the central state of Thuringia, in a move that could challenge Germany's long-standing political taboo on cooperation with the far right.

"I am extending my hand to you," Höcke, who leads the AfD in Thuringia, said on Wednesday in a video posted on X.

He urged Wagenknecht to become state premier before a regional election in neighbouring Saxony-Anhalt on September 6 and called on her to open "a new chapter" in German party politics.

Wagenknecht founded the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which is currently part of Thuringia's governing coalition with the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).

Höcke's AfD is the largest group in the Thuringian state parliament but is not part of the government. 

Wagenknecht has indicated that her party could abstain in a decisive vote for state premier in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, potentially helping an AfD candidate take office.

The state government in Thuringia is led by CDU Premier Mario Voigt, who has come under renewed pressure after Chemnitz University of Technology rejected his appeal against the withdrawal of his doctorate. The AfD has said it plans to launch another constructive vote of no confidence against Voigt.

Under Thuringia's constitution, a premier can only be removed if parliament simultaneously elects a successor by a majority. The AfD and BSW together hold 47 of the state parliament's 88 seats, more than the 45 needed for a majority.

The AfD already launched such a vote against Voigt in February, when Höcke himself stood for premier, but the attempt failed.

In his video, Höcke challenged Wagenknecht to show that her criticism of the political "firewall" against the AfD would be followed by action.

"Take political responsibility," he said.

Höcke, who is considered one of the leading figures on the AfD's far-right wing, made the comments less than four weeks before the election in Saxony-Anhalt, where the party is polling at more than 40%.