Saxony’s Minister-President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) has strongly rejected the request of US Vice President JD Vance to collaborate with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Germany. “These statements from the Vice President are quite impertinent” Kretschmer told the Bild newspaper in its Saturday edition.
“It’s hard to imagine what would happen if someone from the East or Southeast made such a suggestion” the Minister-President said, implying that the Vice President’s remarks were unacceptable.
The US is closer to Germany due to its values and stance, Kretschmer stated. “However, I am not naive.” He noted that the current US President is pursuing his own agenda and the lesson to be learned is that Europe must assert itself, be self-confident and strong. This, he emphasized, requires Europe to connect with itself, recognize its own interests and not be dictated to by others on what should happen.