AfD will never be a partner for Friedrich Merz

The AfD is now not only strong in eastern Germany. The party has now become a serious competitor to the CDU and CSU throughout Germany. If there were a federal election next Sunday, the “Alternative for Germany” would get values ​​between 25 and 27 percent and thus an almost identical share of votes that the CDU/CSU parties would receive. According to the surveys, these would get between 24 and 27 percent. In some cases, the AfD is already valued ahead of the Union.

No wonder that a debate has broken out in the Union in recent days as to whether and how we could cooperate in the future.

But not with the current party leader of the CDU: Friedrich Merz confirmed this weekend that he categorically rules out cooperation with the AfD and also linked this position to his office as party leader. It is known, for example, that Merz cannot stand AfD leader Alice Weidel. She likes to say that he doesn’t even greet her in the Bundestag when they cross paths there.

At a citizens’ dialogue in Meschede in the Sauerland region, Merz said there would be no cooperation with a party that questions everything that has made Germany strong in recent decades. “At least not under me as the party leader of the CDU Germany” he added.

“This is not an alternative for Germany, this is a party for a different Germany,” said Merz. “There is no commonality between the CDU and the AfD,” he claimed. The AfD stands against the European Union, against the European Monetary Union, against NATO, against compulsory military service. “It goes against everything that has made the Federal Republic of Germany great and strong over the last eight decades.”

However, Merz also spoke out against AfD ban proceedings, which some political observers see as an attempt to legally eliminate political competition. You could do that, but the legal hurdles would be very, very high. “I have little sympathy for working with such an instrument.”

Rather, we have to deal with the AfD on the matter. “Above all, we have to make a good offer to voters in Germany so that they don’t even think about voting for this party again in the next election.”

The CDUThe chairwoman also expressly took the coalition partner SPD to task. “We are facing major reforms. And now we have to demonstrate from the political center of our country that reforms are possible.” Merz emphasized that he was determined to do this.

Merz promised that he wanted to do everything he could to prevent the AfD from rising further. “We can’t do that by ingratiating ourselves to them, by working with them, but by saying clearly that there are fundamental differences between this so-called alternative for Germany and us.”

The CDU presidium wants to address its dealings with the party in a closed meeting on Sunday. Merz had suggested a clearer demarcation and a sharper substantive debate with the AfD, as well as a greater presence of the CDU in the area.

The AfD has become strong “because the established parties, including mine, have not solved the problems in recent years in a way that the population in Germany is satisfied with us,” said the CDU chairman. “And we want to change that.” Merz cited migration and economic policy as examples. However, it is not only the task of the Union, but also of the other parties in the “political center” to fight the AfD. He called for greater involvement in all centrist parties. This is important for democracy.

Merz also indirectly addressed the accusation that he was fomenting xenophobia with his comment in connection with refugee policy that there were problems in the “cityscape”. “In our country we need workers who come to Germany and want to work here. In all areas,” he emphasized.

The message to these people must be: “You are welcome in Germany. We want you to be here and live here and that you also identify with our country and that you also find your home in this Federal Republic of Germany,” emphasized the Chancellor. But this is not a contradiction to the government curbing irregular migration and sending back those who do not want to integrate. “Please assume that this is also the common attitude in the federal government,” emphasized Merz in view of criticism, including from the SPD, of his “cityscape” remark.

Sources: dpa, Reuters, “