CDU leader Friedrich Merz has expressed criticism of his party’s cooperation with the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance.
When asked whether he was prepared to consider a cooperation or coalition with the BSW in order to prevent AfD minister presidents in the east, Merz said on Monday evening in the ARD “Brennpunkt”: “That is absolutely clear, we have always said that. We do not work with such right-wing and left-wing extremist parties.”
He added that both apply to Ms Wagenknecht: “She is right-wing extremist on some issues, but left-wing extremist on others.” Merz stressed: “We want to win majorities.”
Thuringia’s CDU top candidate does not want to be restricted
Thuringia’s CDU top candidate, party and parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt rejected Merz’s statement with regard to his state.Friedrich Merz spoke for the federal level. We as the Thuringian Union do not conduct coalition debates,” Voigt said in response to a question from Tagesspiegel.
First, we look at what specific issues concern people. Then we have discussions.
Mario VoigtCDU top candidate in Thuringia
“We want to become the strongest force in Thuringia in order to bring about a change in politics for the better. The stronger the CDU, the more stable the new government will be for our homeland,” the CDU’s top candidate continued. “We Thuringians want the political change and First, look at what specific issues concern people. Then we have discussions about who we can work with to solve the problems. We do what is right for the country.”
Wagenknecht criticizes Merz’s “political kindergarten”
Party founder Sahra Wagenknecht reacted to the recent statements by CDU leader Merz with sharp criticism. “What Friedrich Merz is doing, is political kindergarten and will further weaken the CDU in the EastWagenknecht told the German Press Agency in Berlin on Tuesday.
Wagenknecht continued: “Olaf Scholz is the worst Chancellor in the history of the Federal Republic, but Friedrich Merz would not be an improvement – especially with the Greens as a coalition partnerThe CDU wants Ukraine to destroy ministries in Moscow with missiles supplied by Germany” and a coalition of the Union with the Greens would be “an extreme threat to peace in Germany”.
BSW state chairwoman: Merz “builds firewall”
In the meantime, the regional chairmen of the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance, Katja Wolf and Steffen Schütz, also commented on the CDU leader’s statements. “After Friedrich Merz has not yet kept his promise to significantly weaken the AfD, he is now building another firewall“, the BSW state chairmen said in response to a request from Tagesspiegel. “Instead of concentrating on keeping his promise, he is focusing on excluding and denigrating other democrats,” they continued.
Thuringia does not need advice from Berlin.
Katja Wolf and Steffen SchützBSW State Chairwoman
“Thuringia does not need advice from Berlin, but sensible and reliable politics. Before Merz tries to continue with false and inappropriate attributions, To explain the world to East Germans, he should listen and understand. Because the election results show that what is needed now above all is humility and listening in order to regain trust in the eastern German states.”
© Imago/Metodi Popow/
Wagenknecht party finds favor especially in East Germany
In September, state elections are due to take place in the three eastern German states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia. In the European elections, the AfD was clearly the strongest force in the east. With a view to the state elections, forming a majority could therefore be complicated. Since the AfD, founded at the beginning of the year, Wagenknecht’s party is particularly popular in East Germanyit could become a force to be reckoned with.
The CDU ruled out coalitions or a similar form of cooperation with the AfD or the Left Party years ago by party conference resolution. There is no clear position on the BSW so far. In the European elections, the party had achieved 6.2 percent of the vote nationwide.
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A month ago, Merz said in a ZDF interview in response to a question about cooperation with the BSW in the East: “We do not conduct coalition debatesnot in the party and not in public, but we are fighting for the CDU.” Coalitions are not discussed before the election dates.
At the beginning of May, CDU federal vice-chair Karin Prien had not ruled out a collaboration between her party and the Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) alliance after the three East German state elections. Prien, who is also the education minister in Schleswig-Holstein, said at the time: “We will have to look at the countrieswhich personalities are running for the BSW and what political goals are in the election manifestos. Then you can decide whether there is a basis for cooperation with the BSW locally.” (dpa, Tsp.)