Internal divisions are emerging within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) as the party prepares for a closed-door strategy meeting, challenging the prospect of a softening stance towards the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD). While some voices within the party have, prior to the session, suggested a potential reassessment of the CDU’s approach to the AfD, senior figures are now emphatically denying any imminent shift in policy.
Andreas Jung, CDU’s deputy chairman, explicitly refuted the notion of a “course correction” towards the AfD in an interview with “Der Tagesspiegel”, stating that the meeting would instead focus on strengthening strategies to counteract the AfD’s influence. “Our vision of society and our political approach as a center-right party are fundamentally incompatible with the extremist tendencies of the AfD” Jung declared, underlining the core ideological chasm.
The debate, initially broached by former CDU General Secretary Peter Tauber, has drawn sharp criticism from within the party itself. Dennis Radtke, leader of the CDU’s worker’s wing, expressed concern that discussions surrounding the “firewall” against the AfD distract from the urgent need to address the underlying issues fueling the party’s appeal. “It is deeply troubling that we question the protection that the firewall offers, instead of confronting the source of the danger it is meant to contain” Radtke stated, highlighting the potential for the debate itself to inadvertently legitimize the AfD.
Foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter warned that any move towards engagement with the AfD would constitute “self-destruction” for the CDU. He urged the party to rediscover the “courage” to unequivocally defend its Christian democratic values, resisting pressure from opinion polls and the extremes of the political spectrum.
Thomas Röwekamp, chairman of the Bundestag’s Defense Committee, echoed this sentiment, advocating for a bolstering of the CDU’s own core principles and a more aggressive engagement with the AfD’s policy positions.
However, not all within the CDU agree with this firm stance. Jan Redmann, the CDU state chairman of Brandenburg, argued that the term “firewall” has been strategically weaponized by left-leaning political forces to discredit any position to the right of the centre. Redmann advocated for legislative action independent of potential AfD support, focusing solely on resolving societal challenges without regard for coalition building. He believes focusing on pragmatic solutions diminishes the AfD’s relevance.
The intensifying internal debate underscores the complex challenges facing the CDU as it attempts to navigate the evolving political landscape and define its role in opposition to a resurgent and increasingly influential right-wing movement, while simultaneously avoiding a perceived dilution of its own core values.