Rhineland-Palatinate Prime Minister Gordon Schnieder (CDU), who currently chairs the Conference of Prime Ministers (MPK), stated that he does not perceive the letter sent by his colleague Sven Schulze of Saxony-Anhalt (CDU) as an attempt to exclude the AfD. Schulze had suggested postponing the chairmanship of the MPK, which was scheduled to belong to his state.
Speaking to the television station “Welt,” Schnieder explained that the letter was solely intended to ensure a properly regulated procedure within the MPK and was not aimed at the “exclusion of a prime minister.” He questioned whether the state chancellery in Magdeburg could effectively manage all these matters. He urged others not to interpret the letter as an act of exclusion against anyone.
Schnieder emphasized that the letter certainly was not about excluding a potential AfD prime minister, Ulrich Siegmund, adding that this was not mentioned in the document. He characterized the MPK not as a typical political body, but as a joint forum where state government heads collaborate. He revealed that Schulze was apparently worried about a situation in Saxony-Anhalt where they “can no longer guarantee that they can get the procedures done,” suggesting a need for local support to alleviate this pressure.
The letter will now be discussed among the state leaders, who will decide how to proceed. On a personal level, Schnieder concluded by saying he has a “very clear opinion, even in Rhineland-Palatinate, on how I deal with the AfD.” He asserted that he will not cooperate with them in any way, stating that if he hadn’t done so previously, he certainly will not do so in the future.
