The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is signaling a willingness to compromise in an effort to engage in coalition negotiations with the center-right Union parties (CDU and CSU) at the federal level. Kay Gottschalk, deputy chairman of the AfD, stated in an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung that the Union represents the “only realistic coalition partner.
Gottschalk acknowledged that achieving a coalition government requires concessions from all sides. He emphasized that a successful coalition requires “balance, communication and the ability to find compromises” suggesting the AfD will not be able to implement its entire political agenda. He specifically alluded to the possibility of compromise on core AfD policy positions, including stances on European Union membership, the Euro currency and criticisms of the NATO alliance.
The deputy chairman also stressed the necessity of reciprocal movement from the Union parties. He argued that the CDU, in particular, must be prepared to adjust its own stance to facilitate a potential agreement. This reciprocal willingness, he suggested, would create a space for negotiation and a viable path toward a four-year coalition government.