A CDU politician, Armin Laschet, does not see any cooperation with the AfD, despite the AfD’s initial support for a Union bill in the Bundestag. “The wall of separation with the AfD is clear: We do not talk, we do not form a coalition, we do not cooperate, not even communicate. We do not exchange views to make it clear: The next government will be elected from the middle of the parliament” he told the news magazine Politico in its Thursday edition.
Laschet still sees hope for a solution with the SPD and the Greens on the “Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz” bill, saying, “Principally, that would be good and it could be done easily on Friday. I mean, we should all talk again, whether we must do that together.”
Whether Wednesday’s vote will be a “winning day” for the AfD remains to be seen, Laschet said, as the current polls do not show it. Therefore, “one must counteract. And if the protest voters recognize that there is a party that truly takes action, it could be that the AfD’s poll numbers decline.”
It is normal for the atmosphere to heat up a few weeks before an election, Laschet said. However, the atmosphere among the parties in the middle is still good, he added: “We still talk to each other. We see our colleagues from the other factions in the lobby and we also see ministers and speak with them. That is a different state than in the US or elsewhere, where the opponent is often seen as an enemy.