The AfD is in better shape than it has been for a long time. How did the survey peak come about? The general secretaries of the CDU and FDP emphasize in Report from Berlinpolitics must take people’s concerns seriously.
The AfD in second place, level with the SPD? That was long considered unthinkable. Now the party reaches for the first time in ARD Germany trend 18 percent for the Sunday question. The CDU general secretary Mario Czaja makes in Report from Berlin the traffic light coalition is primarily responsible for this.
“We are noticing that there is a lot of uncertainty in the country as a result of the botch by the federal government.” The topics of hospital reform, the refugee crisis and the heating law would concern and unsettle many people. “As a result, people also go to the political fringes.”
Merz makes gender language responsible
Politics must be made for the people in the middle of society, demanded Czaja. The impression should not be given that marginal issues play a general role.
The Secretary-General defended a tweet by CDU leader Friedrich Merz, who accused the media of being partly responsible for the AfD’s rise in power by using gender-neutral language.
This is not Merz’s core message, said Czaja. He wanted to express that it is not about people’s real concerns at the moment. “The impression is given that a few peripheral issues play a role,” said the politician, also with a view to the reporting. There is a responsibility to “talk about the issues that people really care about.”
“The government is responsible for the situation”
Although the Union ended up in first place with 29 percent in the Sunday question, the majority of AfD supporters – 67 percent – stated that they were currently choosing the AfD primarily out of distance and disappointment with the other parties.
“These figures do not leave us cold,” said the CDU general secretary. “The majority of people who are currently dissatisfied with the federal government do not yet see us as the political alternative to having a better government in this country. We have to work on that.” But it is obvious that the federal government is responsible for the current situation.
Djir-Sarai: “Self-criticism applies to all parties”
Objection comes from the Secretary General of the FDP, Bijan Djir-Sarai. “Politics will have a credibility problem if we don’t take people with us.” The self-criticism applies to all parties. “If people have the feeling that politics has distanced itself from reality, then politics will have a credibility problem.” All parties are called upon to tackle the challenges objectively and soberly and to offer solutions.
Within the traffic light coalition, there had been ongoing discussions in recent months, especially on the subject of the heating law. Green parliamentary group manager Irene Mihalic accused the FDP of behaving like an opposition with ministerial posts. Djir-Sarai dismissed this criticism in Report from Berlin by himself. It is not about delaying the energy transition or about tactics.
No prognosis on the heating law
People are unsettled, they don’t know what to expect. “That’s why we have an intensive, factual debate in order to come to a good law at the end of the day,” said the FDP general secretary.
He welcomes the fact that Economics Minister Robert Habeck is now approaching the critics. It is important that no law is created that overwhelms the welfare state. “I can’t make a prediction here as to when a result will be possible,” said Djir-Sarai. “Whether that will be before the summer break or after the summer break. That is not decisive for me. What is decisive is what is achieved in concrete terms.” The summer break begins on July 7th.