A German politician, Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the CDU, has attributed the CDU’s and CSU’s underperformance in the recent federal election to the CDU’s decision to accept AfD votes for a migration policy proposal at the end of January.
According to Kiesewetter, in an interview with the “Tagesspiegel”, the majority achieved with AfD votes has put the democratic center in difficulties. He stated that focusing almost exclusively on the migration issue and neglecting the CDU’s core competencies in economic and internal and external security policies was not helpful.
Kiesewetter did not participate in the January vote. He expects a harder stance towards Moscow from the next government, a coalition with the SPD, which he believes should redefine its approach to the Russian threat. He expressed a willingness to cooperate with a reformed SPD, led by a new Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, who has recognized the need for a “societal turning point”.