Based on the official voting processes at the state level. - Merz exhibits reservations towards the BSW, while granting unrestricted autonomy to national associations.
The CDU's leader, Friedrich Merz, has voiced doubts about the possibility of an alliance with Sahra Wagenknecht's group, but has granted his party's Saxony and Thuringia affiliates the autonomy to negotiate with BSW.
In response to discussions with the CDU's upper echelon, Merz commented, "This is essentially the platform of a lone individual vocalizing their political standpoints within the recent state polls." He further added, "However, I'm unsure about this party's stance on wastewater fees in Thuringia and Saxony." During a joint gathering in Berlin with Saxony Minister President Michael Kretschmer and Thuringian party leader Mario Voigt, Merz voiced these sentiments.
When prompted about potential synergies between the CDU and the BSW, Merz acknowledged he was at a loss for answers. "I have formed an impression or perception of Sahra Wagenknecht. I can't evaluate the newcomers who've joined this alliance," Merz disclosed. The BSW has only put forth candidates in six out of 44 districts in Thuringia.
Merz dubbed the BSW as a mystery box.
"In essence, it's like an enigmatic box or a crimson box, as you might say," Merz explained, referring to Wagenknecht, who was once a member of the SED and was viewed as the spearhead of the Communist Wing within the Left Party. "We'll have to crack it open, and that's something the folks in Thuringia and Saxony will have to grapple with," Merz emphasized, glancing at Voigt and Kretschmer.
Regarding the ongoing conflict resolution between the federal CDU and the Left Party, which also encompasses the AfD, Merz affirmed, "The resolution remains valid. Dealing with it will be the duty of the two state associations in Saxony and Thuringia." In Thuringia, a three-party coalition led by Voigt with BSW and SPD would seemingly depend on the Left Party.
Merz concluded that the election outcomes in both states intimated, "The CDU serves as the final bastion protecting the democratic center from the right-wing populism afflicting our nation."
Merz expressed his uncertainty about the CDU's stance on wastewater fees in Thuringia and Saxonia, as they are negotiating with the BSW, a national association that the CDU's leader finds enigmatic and compared to a mystery box due to their uncertain political standpoints.
In the ongoing political landscape, the CDU, including their Saxony and Thuringia affiliates, must navigate potential collaborations with various national associations, such as the BSW, in order to maintain the democratic center and counter right-wing populism.
