Key facts
- A local CDU group in Saxony-Anhalt proposed ruling out a minority government dependent on the Left Party.
- The proposal, from the CDU's Harz district association, rejects any model surviving with the Left Party's consent.
- The rationale is to prevent the far-right AfD from gaining further political leverage.
- CDU state premier Sven Schulze stated the proposal is not a party decision and will not be discussed.
- The AfD is polling at 42 percent in Saxony-Anhalt, significantly ahead of the CDU's 22 percent.
A local faction of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Saxony-Anhalt has proposed ruling out any minority government that relies on the support of the Left Party. The move, reported by FOCUS, comes from the CDU's Harz district association and aims to prevent the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party from gaining further political traction.
The proposal states that a model giving the Left Party a "de facto veto" over a center-right government is unacceptable. The thinking behind this stance is that a CDU-led minority government with backing from the far-left could provide the AfD with more ammunition to attack the party, a tactic seen in other eastern German states.
However, Sven Schulze, the CDU's lead candidate and current state premier, quickly distanced himself from the proposal, calling it the opinion of a single party member and stating no decision has been made. Alexander Räuscher, a state lawmaker and co-author of the document, reiterated his rejection of cooperation with both the AfD and the Left Party.
With the AfD polling at 42 percent in Saxony-Anhalt, significantly ahead of the CDU's 22 percent, and mainstream coalitions expected to fall short of a majority, the political landscape is complex. If the AfD and the Left Party together command a blocking majority, forming a government without support from one of them could become impossible, potentially opening the door for an AfD politician to become state premier if they do not secure an outright victory.