CDU leader Sebastian Lechner in Lower Saxony rejected the statements made by Saxon Minister-President Michael Kretschmer regarding the potential weakening of the so-called “firewall” against the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Speaking to the “Welt”, Lechner asserted that the AfD remains the party’s chief political opponent. He emphasized that there is a broad consensus within the CDU against any openness to the AfD, a stance he strongly supports in alignment with Friedrich Merz.
The disagreement arises from Kretschmer’s recent comments, which suggested that those still discussing “firewalls” are missing the current political realities, stating that they must converse with anyone willing to talk. This position has since faced pushback from politicians across both the CDU and the SPD.
Lechner drew a distinction between cordial civil interaction and political cooperation. While one must be courteous to all individuals as a citizen, he stressed that this does not translate into political alliances in parliament. He maintained that the AfD is not a moderate, civic party; it is fundamentally incompatible with the core values of the CDU and holds widely accepted far-right views.
Furthermore, Lechner cautioned against diluting the political distance from the AfD. He accused the AfD of being subservient to Putin and attempting to dismantle what Germany and Europe have always championed: a strong, unified Europe and a cohesive nation. He stated that these goals create an irreconcilable divide. Instead of blurring internal boundaries to win over AfD supporters, Lechner argued that the party must improve its appeal by focusing on substantive issues: enhancing security, managing migration judiciously, ensuring an affordable cost of living, providing secure employment, and building a state that earns the public’s trust. He affirmed that these priorities are rooted in values, not merely polling data.
Supporting the party leadership, Wiebke Winter, a CDU parliamentary group leader in the Bremen Senate and candidate for the 2027 election, reaffirmed her alignment with Friedrich Merz. She told the “Welt” that she shared his view and that the party convention resolutions must be upheld. She stressed that the political center’s function is to promote its ideas and convince the public that extremists do not offer valid solutions for Germany.
Criticism of Kretschmer’s stance also came from the SPD. Dirk Wiese, the first parliamentary secretary for the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, noted the ongoing radicalization of the AfD and argued that a clear boundary is necessary-a realization he felt Minister-President Kretschmer should adopt. On a separate note, Wiese mentioned that despite the Union’s incompatibility ruling concerning the Left, the SPD is collaborating with the Left in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and in the Bremen government. Addressing the Christian Democrats/Christian Social Union, he simply advised them to proceed with nuance.
Meanwhile, SPD candidate Armin Willingmann in Saxony-Anhalt told the “Welt” that the debate primarily concerned the CDU, emphasizing that the SPD’s position has long been unequivocal and precluded cooperation with the AfD. He stated that the AfD would need to completely overhaul its political orientation and abandon its right-wing and dehumanizing worldview. He concluded that given this fundamental barrier, the question of collaboration is moot.
