Following the defeat of his party in Saxony-Anhalt, CDU state minister Philipp Amthor offered strong support to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Speaking to the television network Phoenix, Amthor stated that Merz is the right party chairman and the right chancellor, adding that the stability of the federal government heavily depends on him.
Although the Alternative for Germany (AfD) saw strong gains, Amthor noted that millions of Germans are concerned about what happens when such a polarizing party assumes greater responsibility. Consequently, he argued that a stable federal government is urgently needed at this time. The CDU politician asserted that the federal government intends to stick to its reform agenda, pointing out that the failure to enact necessary changes in the past now places the burden on the coalition parties. According to Amthor, “Today we are paying the price for unmade reforms.”
Furthermore, Amthor rejected the notion that the election result in Saxony-Anhalt can be analyzed using a simplistic Left-Right schema. He insisted that the core conflict within the party system is actually between institutional stability and chaos. The state minister criticized the AfD for disparaging political opponents, belittling institutions, and dividing the country. He concluded that “in yesterday’s election, a party prevailed that does not stand for a policy of humanity, but for a policy of severity, for a language of cruelty, and for ever-increasing polarization.” For him, any cooperation with representatives of that party is out of the question. “My stance regarding a clear distance from the AfD only strengthens itself following this election night,” Amthor affirmed.
