CDU leader Friedrich Merz stated on Monday in Quedlinburg that in Saxony-Anhalt, there is no “firewall” preventing voters from switching allegiance, suggesting that the CDU aims to win over potential voters for the AfD. While campaigning in support of the incumbent Minister-President Sven Schulze (CDU), Merz added that the party intends to “win these voters, and if they have been lost, to win them back.”
He stressed his “firm conviction” that the CDU has “something to offer and something to demonstrate,” citing the federal government’s success in reducing migration numbers as an example. Furthermore, Merz renewed his warning that Saxony-Anhalt could become unattractive for investors if governed by the AfD. He warned that the state should “not become a testing ground for angry citizens.”
This visit to Quedlinburg is one of two scheduled appearances for the CDU chief during the final phase of the state election campaign. On Thursday, he is scheduled to visit a company in Leuna. Despite his motivation to regain losing votes, both scheduled events are private. Consequently, Merz is unlikely to make a major public appearance before voters.
