Leading politicians from the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt have offered a reserved response to statements made by Die Linke chairman, Luigi Pantisano, who suggested his party might support a CDU prime minister in the upcoming state election.
Guido Heuer, the chairperson of the CDU parliamentary group, told the German Editorial Network that he outright rejects a coalition or any other form of cooperation. However, he added that a minority government is not ruled out, though such a scenario would entail no compromises, insisting on five years of “CDU pure.” Heuer also referred to the CDU parliamentary group’s long-standing policy of “differentiating but not excluding.”
Andreas Schumann, the parliamentary manager for the group, warned of potential drawbacks even with indirect cooperation. He stated that it would be disadvantageous if Die Linke tied its demands to conditions that could prove “expensive for Saxony-Anhalt.” The CDU, he emphasized, will not “sell out” under such circumstances. He stressed that the votes of Die Linke for a CDU prime minister should not be “tied to political conditions,” but rather focus on ensuring that the state remains a “free Saxony-Anhalt.”
Tobias Krull, the CDU member of parliament from Magdeburg, stated that the party will “not accept tolerance from Die Linke at any cost.” While acknowledging that government models like those in Thuringia and Saxony are being watched-even if they are “not my desired option”-Krull told the RND that if such a situation arose, the CDU would require “considerable communication, especially within its own party.”
