FDP politician Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann sharply criticized former Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), calling it “almost a mortal sin” that Merkel steered the CDU significantly to the left during her tenure. She made this statement on the “Machtmenschen” podcast run by Focus, addressing the growing public distrust in political parties.
According to Strack-Zimmermann, there should be no political space to the right of the Union party. However, she argues that Merkel’s policy course has created a vacuum exactly in that area. Strack-Zimmermann rejected the argument that Merkel was attempting to secure the CDU’s power base by moving left, contending that the party had focused too heavily on urban populations while neglecting rural areas, particularly concerning infrastructure. This oversight has frustrated many citizens.
She views this situation as a contributing factor to the rise of the AfD. “The most dangerous thing is state failure” she stated, adding that people become disillusioned when they feel that the basic functions of the state are no longer working.
Strack-Zimmermann also deemed the low level of trust in political parties to be dangerous, noting that the problem is self-inflicted because the parties have failed to differentiate themselves substantively from one another.
