17 CDU-politicians from Thuringia have called for “open-ended” talks with the AfD, and against the Federal party. The old debate is revived to re: How to bypass the Union with the AfD?
The Christian Democrats in Germany, stuck in the terminal. The party needs a new coalition partner to be able to government coalitions form. For the traditional Two-party alliances with the SPD, FDP or the Green more often.
An Option of three alliances, as is the rule currently in Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony and Brandenburg are planned. Other constellations with a more basic question related to: slips of the CDU to the right, and works in a state for the first Time, with the right-wing populist AfD?
The question how to deal with the right-wing populists arises, especially in Eastern Germany currently. Because there, elections were held and governments have to be formed. On the other hand, the right-wing populists are the second strongest, and in some regions even party strengthened. The AfD values to fall back on, is currently not foreseeable.
Complicated majorities in Thuringia
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In Thuringia, there has just been elected, the majority currently on the complicated. The political borders are stronger together than the center-parties. Theoretically, it would be enough for a coalition of the CDU with the left party. But this is at the local CDU-base is not enforceable.
Computer would be possible also in an Alliance with the FDP and the AfD. “You should not exclude from the outset”, said the CDU member of Parliament Michael Heym shortly after the election. You are not doing democracy any favours, “if you alienated a quarter of the electorate”. The AfD was 23 per cent, the second strongest force. According to Heym, there is a “civil majority to the right” of the CDU, the AfD and the FDP. Heym is not a backbencher, but the influential Vice-Chairman of the CDU parliamentary group.
The urgency behind this statement: The CDU had been banned on the Board and on a Congress of the party coalitions, even conversations with the part of extreme right-wing AfD. But not all of the party’s base see it that way. Finally, it had given contrary opinions from Saxony-Anhalt. At the local level – also there will be actually no cooperation – are common voting is already a reality.
The Thuringian CDU parliamentary group Deputy Michael Heym calls for an opening course in the direction of the AfD
Flirt of the CDU in Thuringia, the AfD
Now 17 CDU officials from Thuringia have an appeal, under the Heading “democracy needs dialogue” published. It needed to be led “open” discussions with the AfD. Some of the signatories should belong to the environment of the “Union of values”. That is, the merger of some of the thousands of members of the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, the position on the right edge of the Union parties.
In the AfD group in the Bundestag, the news from Thuringia were included with a little Surprise. There is already speculation any longer, that the Union is split along the question of “Green or AfD?”. How explosive the situation is, show reactions from the CDU. The member of the Bundestag Marco wall joke called for a party, to the exclusion of Heym. The AfD was not a bourgeois party and the number of their voters is not an Argument. A party of exclusion but is not so easy.
Thuringia’s CDU-in-chief and leading candidate Mike Mohring wants to try to govern without a majority in Thuringia
The background of the discussion is likely to be that the CDU is trying to prevent a new government under the leadership of the left party. No chance this is not, as also the left parties together have a majority. The CDU could be a candidate for the office of the Prime Minister set to lead a minority government The only question is whether the AfD for the CDU would vote in candidate – and the minority government would be tolerated by the AfD.
CDU Secretary-General issued a clear rejection
The AfD in Thuringia, led by Björn Höcke – he stands for the ultra-right edge of the AfD and is internationally known because of its part of the extreme right rhetoric. They were ready to take responsibility, said Höcke after the election at the end of October in Berlin on the question of a coalition, in which the AfD would be stronger than the CDU. Also party leader Alexander Gauland brought a “civil majority” into the conversation. However, even in the Thuringian CDU’s appeal of a real coalition is excluded from the AfD. But then why talk to each other?
“The AfD is sowing hatred and trying to divide our country,” CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak
The initiative is “misleading,” criticized Paul Ziemiak. Any Form of cooperation – “not only the coalition, but any shape, also any votes or whatever of the AfD – is not acceptable for us,” said the Secretary-General of the CDU. “It is not a question of any strategic Considerations, it is a question of values and principles.” Ziemiak questioned whether the signatories are still in the right party. The opinion of the CDU, the AfD will not have changed: “item. At the end of the announcement”.
The fire wall is about to crumble to the right?
Also from the SPD’s strong words came: The CDU Chairman Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer must now intervene, the settlement called for the SPD General Secretary Lars Kling. The “brand wall to the right,” wars more and more cracks. This must be stopped.
Sharp criticism also came from the Central Council of Jews in Germany. “The Thuringian CDU-local politicians, who want to be a conversation open to the AfD, to act irresponsibly. Because you help to make the AfD more presentable,” said President Josef Schuster.
From the leadership of the Thuringian CDU in a cancellation finally came to a cooperation with the AfD. “The incompatibility decision is,” said state Secretary Raymond Walk. CDU-Chef Mike Mohring wool may have to try a minority government, but with the SPD, Greens and FDP.