Free Voters leader Hubert Aiwanger has publicly stated his openness to closer cooperation with the CSU party. Speaking to the Mediengruppe Bayern, he asserted that both Germany and Bavaria require a political platform tailored for liberal, value-conservative voters who seek constructive policy.
This statement follows earlier discussions about a formal “Free Voters/CSU Alliance” a concept raised by former CSU board member Peter Gauweiler. While acknowledging that voters might be interested in such an alliance, Aiwanger stressed that the specific details still need to be thoroughly worked out, pointing out that the respective political parties would face significant challenges in implementing such a merger.
Instead, Aiwanger suggested that the most realistic approach is to adopt the cooperation model already successfully implemented in Bavaria, which he described as “marching separately-striking together”. The stated goal of this collaboration is to counteract what he perceives as the “increasing leftward bias of politics” which, in his view, drives more protest votes toward the political margins.
Furthermore, Aiwanger expressed confidence that through stronger strategic collaboration with the Union, the Free Voters could achieve success not only at the state level but also nationwide. He believes that the Free Voters could successfully cross the federal five-percent threshold. However, he also admitted that the Union has historically “given the cold shoulder” to his party. Therefore, he emphasized that the Free Voters must also continue building up their own independent strength.