In eastern Germany, the CDU’s election results have been met with disappointment, particularly in Saxony. The AfD won a significant majority of the votes in the 2025 federal election, with 38.5% of the first-preference votes, while the CDU received 23.9%. The CDU is at risk of further fragmentation.
According to Matthias Grahl, the CDU’s treasurer in Saxony, who is also a district councilor in the Bautzen district, many members are dissatisfied with the party’s recent policies, including the new debt package of 500 billion euros. He believes that the party’s failure to deliver on its promises has led to a loss of trust among its members.
Grahl mentioned that 18 of the 900 members have already left the party and he expects more to follow. He also pointed out that many members are only staying in the party because of their dependence on funding or because they feel a sense of responsibility for their community or district.
Grahl also criticized the CDU’s western branch, accusing it of being out of touch with reality and neglecting the country’s true state of affairs. He believes that the party’s failure to address the country’s real problems has led to a growing sense of disillusionment among its members.
The article also quotes Martina Schweinsburg, a CDU member of the Thuringian state parliament, who expressed her disappointment with the party’s leadership, saying that many of its members and voters feel that the party is not keeping its promises.
Mario Zeising, the CDU’s state secretary in Saxony-Anhalt, called for clear statements on economic and migration policies, saying that the party’s base expects it to stand by its campaign promises.
The article concludes by noting that the AfD is likely to benefit from the CDU’s internal struggles and the growing sense of disillusionment among its members.