right-wing populism
After explaining the “main opponent”: Greens criticize Merz
Because of his statements after the election in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has received harsh criticism from his coalition partner. photo
© Jens Büttner/dpa
After the electoral success of the AfD in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, CDU leader Merz spoke of the Greens as the “main opponent” in the federal government. The coalition partner reacts promptly.
The Greens were irritated by the CDU leader’s declaration of war Friedrich Merz reacts and reminds that there are black-green coalitions in several federal states. “Not a day after the AfD has won a district election, we call other democratic parties “main opponents” with whom we coalition in several federal states,” said the political director of the party, Emily Büning, the “Rheinische Post” and the “General indicator”.
In the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, an AfD candidate was elected district administrator for the first time in Germany on Sunday. Merz then announced an even stronger conflict with the Greens – these would be “the main opponents” in the federal government for the foreseeable future. The CDU chairman and Union faction leader justified this by saying that the Greens are responsible for the current polarization in energy and environmental policy.
Büning replied that the Greens prefer to rely on constructive politics. “Instead, we are concentrating on the problems of the people in this country. When it comes to the question of how best to solve these problems, we are happy to enter the democratic competition for the best ideas.”
The CDU reacts in North Rhine-Westphalia, Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein with the Greens as junior partner, in Baden-Württemberg the Union is the smaller coalition partner in a green-black alliance. In Brandenburg and Saxony, the two parties also govern together – each in three-party coalitions with the SPD.