MDR chief warns AfD plan to exit broadcasting treaty threatens democracy

MDR director Ralf Ludwig has warned that the AfD's plan to withdraw Saxony-Anhalt from the public broadcasting treaty would threaten democracy and potentially cost citizens more money. The far-right party has pledged to exit the MDR alliance if it wins Sunday's state election. Ludwig said the AfD's proposal to replace the current system with a "basic broadcaster" would fail constitutional requirements for public broadcasting. He argued that tax-based financing, which the AfD favors, would compromise broadcasters' independence from government influence, citing East Germany's state-regulated media as a warning example. The MDR recently aired a black screen announcement highlighting the consequences of the AfD's plan. Ludwig defended the move as factual public information, not a campaign. He noted that exiting the treaty would require citizens to pay the current fee until 2028 while also funding a new broadcaster.