CDU in the crossfire: Interior Minister threatens to resign because of AfD contact!

CDU in the crossfire: Interior Minister threatens to resign because of AfD contact!

In the current debate about cooperation with the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a clear trend is emerging: there is strong resistance within the CDU to any rapprochement with the right-wing populist party. Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Maier (SPD) highlights in an interview with Handelsblatt highlights the crucial role of the Union in protecting democracy and applauds Herbert Reul's uncompromising stance towards the AfD.

Reul, the Interior Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, has made it clear that he would draw his own conclusions if he were to cooperate with the AfD. If the CDU were to consider joining forces with the AfD, he would be the first to submit his resignation. He describes the AfD as the greatest threat to democracy and Thuringia's Prime Minister Mario Voigt (CDU) also agrees with this assessment, who clearly positions himself against cooperation with the AfD and rejects the term "firewall".

Internal disputes in the CDU

Despite the clear party conference resolution that strictly excludes cooperation with the AfD, parts of the CDU base, especially in the Harz district association, are uneasy about this negative attitude. There is increasing discussion in the CDU about the incompatibility decision, which should also apply to indirect cooperation with the AfD, even if it involves supporting a minority government. Herbert Reul makes it clear that the CDU should leave no room for compromises with the right.

The situation is made even more explosive by the upcoming state elections in autumn 2026 in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to surveys, the AfD is already at around 40 percent there, meaning that it could possibly have a prime minister in Saxony-Anhalt for the first time. Although the CDU's top candidate Sven Schulze has made it clear that working with the AfD is out of the question for him, there are still considerable concerns within the party as to whether the current line can be maintained.

Studies and opinions

A current study in... Mirror published suggests that cooperation with right-wing parties may not be successful. It remains to be seen how the CDU will deal with the differences within the party as the pressure to reposition itself in the political landscape grows ever greater.

Overall, the debate over how to deal with the AfD is a hot topic that stirs many minds in the Union camp. It remains exciting to see which direction the CDU will take and whether the firewall can actually hold up.