Dennis Radtke, chair of the CDU’s Christian Democratic Workers’ Association, has advised Jens Spahn, the CDU parliamentary group leader for the CDU/CSU coalition, against discussing the supposed downfall of Germany. Radtke criticized Spahn’s statement, made in the show “Caren Miosga” suggesting that the black-red coalition is currently managing Germany’s decline, describing the remark as “fatal” during an interview with “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Wednesday editions).
Radtke stated that the AfD profits from an end-of-days atmosphere by acting as its apologet. He emphasized that they should not adopt such narratives but must instead present a Christian democratic vision for the future. He added that Spahn’s talk of decline is inconsistent with the image of a proactive policymaker like himself.
Regarding the complex reasons for the Union’s poor poll numbers, the CDA chair noted that many people operated under the misconception that simply controlling migration and the Citizen’s Income benefit would be enough to push the AfD back. However, Radtke also observed that migration has become a mere projection surface for every systemic failure in Germany. Furthermore, he pointed out that the Union has failed to keep certain campaign promises.
Concerning remarks made by CSU leader Markus Söder, who called for reforms to Germany’s protection against unfair dismissal, Radtke dismissed the topic as a “phantom debate”. According to the CDA chair, discussions with business owners did not suggest that job security was a major concern for entrepreneurs; rather, issues like energy costs, secure supply chains, the shortage of skilled workers, and bureaucracy were the top priorities. Radtke concluded by remarking on a shift in the Union’s discourse: “In the past, the guiding principle in the Union was wonderful protection from strong forces. Today, I sometimes have the feeling from some proposals and debates that we have lost all the good spirits instead”.
