Conservative political figures express reservations about the choice to depart.
For a long time, the Christian Democrats have held firm on their stance of not collaborating with the AfD or the Left Party. However, after the results of the elections in Saxony and Thuringia, two party members have begun to question this refusal to cooperate. Former CDU General Secretary Czaja even labeled it as "preposterous."
In an interview with the German Editorial Network (RND), Czaja urged his party to reconsider their decision to exclude cooperation with the Left. "It's ridiculous that this decree exists when we refuse to work with the pragmatic Left," Czaja stated. He further explained that the Left in Eastern Germany is primarily a conservative social democracy, aligning with Eastern German viewpoints. "The CDU has painted itself into a corner with its one-sided interpretation of the hammer and sickle theory," Czaja added.
Czaja, a native of Eastern Germany, cautioned against equating the Left Party with the AfD, which he referred to as a group with "disdain for humanity and ideology." He emphasized that the Left Party, under Bodo Ramelow's leadership, has been monitored by the constitutional protection office since Thuringia. "Comparing this to the Left Party under Bodo Ramelow, who served as president of the Bundesrat, is not feasible," Czaja warned. "Bodo Ramelow was never a threat to democracy. Bjorn Hocke, on the other hand, is."
Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer also rejected the notion of "party ideologies." He emphasized that discussions should focus on content and even mentioned the possibility of a coalition with the SPD and the BSW. "We won't be collaborating with Frau Wagenknecht," Kretschmer clarified, "but with those who were elected to the Saxon state parliament."
The CDU initially adopted the incompatibility principle for collaboration with the AfD and the Left. However, this does not apply to the BSW, a new party founded in January of this year. The majority of BSW's founding members were previously associated with the Left Party, with Sahra Wagenknecht serving as the figurehead of the party's communist platform for nearly two decades.
Voigt opens up
"My aim is to serve this country and provide it with a stable government," Voigt stated, acknowledging the challenges involved in achieving this goal. He also mentioned that negotiations with potential alliance partners could span several months. The CDU is still some distance from coalition talks, according to Voigt, and is currently taking the time to celebrate the establishment of a stable government in Saxony. Once the right moment arrives, the CDU will present its "moral compass" and initiate talks.
Mario Voigt, the CDU's top candidate in Thuringia, has since refrained from ruling out the possibility of cooperation with the Left Party following the election's outcome. When asked about this in an interview with Bild newspaper, Voigt responded, "We will wait for the official final result and then address this issue in the coming days during our meetings." Previously, the Left Party in Thuringia had indicated their support for a CDU minority government.
In light of the shifting political landscape, Czaja suggested revisiting the CDU's stance on cooperating with the Left in Saxony, citing their conservative leanings and alignment with Eastern German viewpoints. Meanwhile, Voigt, the CDU's top candidate in Thuringia, remains open to discussing cooperation with the Left Party following the election results, signaling a potential shift in the party's policy towards the Left.
