BERLIN, Sept 11 (Reuters) – The likely leader of the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt, the far-right Alternative for Germany’s Ulrich Siegmund, suggested a weapons producer could be allowed to operate in the state to provide resources for his party’s planned deportation campaigns.
The AfD, which wants to restore ties with Russia and brands itself a “party of peace”, opposes Germany’s record defence spending under Chancellor Friedrich Merz and military support for Ukraine, raising questions about the future of a planned defence industry investment in the city of Sangerhausen.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Siegmund indicated the AfD was not opposed to arms production for domestic purposes when asked about the site.
“We do not condemn the production of military equipment across the board, because we will naturally need the appropriate resources for future repatriation and deportation campaigns,” he said.
“This is also in the interest of internal security, our own stability, and national defence,” he added.
Local public broadcaster MDR has reported that Israel’s Elbit Systems is in talks to build a plant there to manufacture components for other German companies. City officials say no complete weapons systems, drones or artillery shells would be produced at the site, which could create up to 400 jobs.
Elbit Systems Deutschland told Reuters on Friday that it continuously evaluates opportunities for further expansion in Germany but no locations have yet been selected for future expansion.
“As a long-standing partner, the company operates across several locations in Germany, employs hundreds of German employees and continues to strengthen its local industrial presence,” it said.
DEPORTATIONS ‘FROM THE FIRST MINUTE’
The anti-immigration AfD, which is seeking to form a state government after winning a historic election victory just short of an outright majority, has pledged deportations “from the first minute”, citizen patrols and separate classrooms for refugee children.
Siegmund said the party was monitoring developments in Sangerhausen.
“We want to take a close look at exactly what is being produced and under what conditions, and whether this runs the risk of involving us in foreign conflicts,” he said.
Any backing for the project could complicate talks with the left-wing populist BSW, the only party not to rule out cooperation with the AfD.
The BSW, which like the AfD opposes German military support for Ukraine, has campaigned against the Sangerhausen project, rejecting economic arguments for attracting foreign defence manufacturers.
(Reporting by Rami Ayyub in Jerusalem and Susanne Neumayer-Remter and Oliver Barth in Magdeburg, Germany; Writing by Miranda Murray; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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