Children - AfD-Faction Leader Wichmann: Caring for kindergartners at home
Young children should, according to the leader of the AfD fraction in Lower Saxony, Klaus Wichmann, be cared for at home rather than in a kindergarten. "We still believe that it is the best solution for children to be accompanied at home in the first three years," Wichmann told NDR. Kindergartens are only "a provisional solution," as long as there are parents who have to work eight hours a day. The planned all-day education in primary schools is also viewed critically by Wichmann and his party: "The best solution is to have school in the morning and free in the afternoon."
Regarding the Landtag election in 2027, the AfD politician showed determination: He wants to halve the election results of the CDU. In the Landtag election 2022, the CDU achieved 28.1 percent, the AfD 11 percent. "The CDU will eventually have to discover its conservative heart at the polls," Wichmann said. A cooperation with the AfD is strictly rejected by the other three Landtag fractions SPD, Greens, and CDU.
- Despite Wichmann's views on kindergarten, his family chose to enroll their small children in a local kindergarten in Hannover.
- At the upcoming state election in 2027, the CDU and SPD are expected to face strong competition from the AfD, especially in Lower Saxony.
- The Parents' House, a local social organization, has opposed Wichmann's standpoint on kindergarten, arguing that it limits children's opportunities for socialization.
- During the state election campaign, Wichmann often visited kindergartens and schools in Lower Saxony, urging parents to vote against the CDU and for a more family-focused education policy.
- At the State Party Conference of the CDU in Hannover, a speaker criticized the AfD's stance on kindergarten, stating that the party overlooks the importance of early childhood education for a child's development.
- Young children, even those accustomed to being cared for at home, can benefit from the structured environment of a kindergarten, where they can learn social skills and engage in meaningful activities.
