Scholz finds the prospect of an AfD Minister President "deeply disheartening"
Come September, elections will occur in three eastern German states. In a summer chat with the ARD-Show "Berlin Report," the Federal Chancellor Scholz discusses potential party collaborations, including the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht, and reaffirms that the AfD is "not an acceptable ally."
Olaf Scholz, our Federal Chancellor, has cautioned SPD officials ahead of elections in three eastern German states against a possible AfD minister-president. Yet, he leaves the call for potential collaboration with the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht to their discretion. In the ARD-Show "Berlin Report" interview, Scholz expressed disappointment at the thought of an AfD head of government, but remained hopeful that other parties would secure a majority.
On the topic of cooperating with the SPD, Scholz stated that he would reject such a partnership on a national level. "Decisions made locally should be reviewed locally," said Scholz. "Our stance remains the same," he added. The AfD's stance, however, is uniform across Germany: from smaller communities to larger cities and every federal state. "The AfD is not a suitable partner," as Scholz asserts.
Elections are scheduled for September 1st in Thuringia and Saxony, and September 22nd in Brandenburg. Surveys indicate that the AfD leads in all three states, and it was also the most powerful force in the European elections held in these states.
Schoz acknowledges that support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia are unpopular in many regions of Eastern Germany. However, he maintains that there's no alternative as Russia is waging an armed conflict against Ukraine.
The Chancellor also shared his concerns about the upcoming French parliamentary elections. "I'm worried about France's elections," says Scholz. "I want to make that clear." He expresses hope that Marine Le Pen with her right-wing populist party Rassemblement National won't win. "But the French and the French people will decide."
