Collaboration with BSW affirmed: CDU state associations' autonomy upheld by Merz
In the states of Thuringia and Saxony, elections for the state parliament are scheduled for September 1st, while voting in Brandenburg will occur on September 22nd. The prospect of collaborating with the BSW within the CDU has exposed internal rifts.
Mario Voigt, the CDU's top candidate in Thuringia, and Jan Redmann, the chair of CDU in Brandenburg, both seem amenable to partnering with the BSW. Initially, Merz declined a coalition with the Wagenknecht Alliance, which garnered backlash within the party. Merz later clarified that his opposition was solely at the federal level.
Regarding the internal party discussions, Merz told ZDF, "There's neither a dispute nor is the CDU chairman backing down." He admitted that he views many BSW positions as "extremely left-wing." Previously expressed sentiments describing parts of the alliance as right-wing were not reiterated by Merz. He merely asserted that the BSW mirrors the AfD's stance on issues like immigration.
"Policy decisions should be made at the state level, independent of these fundamental questions," Merz declared, ruling out federal-level cooperation.
As per current polls, the BSW trails behind both the AfD and CDU in Thuringia and Saxony, placing in third, and in Brandenburg, it falls behind the incumbent SPD, coming in fourth. As no party is keen on teaming up with the leading AfD, the BSW might find themselves part of the new state governments.
