The potential for a dramatic realignment within Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is escalating, with senior figures signaling a willingness to sacrifice their positions rather than compromise on ideological grounds regarding the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). Dennis Radtke, chairman of the CDU’s powerful labor wing, has openly acknowledged that personal consequences, including his own departure, are possible should the party pursue a coalition with the AfD.
Radtke’s statement represents a significant endorsement of Interior Minister Herbert Reul’s recent declaration, in which he vowed to resign if the CDU fundamentally alters its stance on engaging with the AfD. Reul’s blunt warning, delivered to the online news portal “T-Online”, underscored the deep divisions simmering within the party regarding the increasingly tempting prospect of political alliance.
While the CDU has officially maintained a policy of non-cooperation with the AfD, the persistent deadlock in German coalition politics – following the inconclusive 2021 election – has led to mounting pressure to consider alternative arrangements. The AfD’s recent gains in regional elections have further amplified this pressure, fueling speculation about potential alliances and prompting internal debate regarding acceptable boundaries.
However, Radtke injected a stark warning into the discussion, echoing Reul’s sentiment that a coalition with the AfD would prove catastrophic for the CDU. “Every form of cooperation would inevitably lead to the destruction of the CDU” he stated in an interview with “Handelsblatt”. This assessment highlights the profound ideological gulf between the two parties and the potential damage to the CDU’s traditional voter base, which is increasingly alienated by the AfD’s increasingly radical rhetoric.
The public positioning of Reul and Radtke suggests a rising faction within the CDU that prioritizes principle over pragmatism, willing to sacrifice personal ambitions to safeguard the party’s core identity. The extent of this sentiment across the wider CDU remains to be seen, but their declarations signal a heightened risk of internal conflict and potentially a significant reshaping of the German political landscape. The question now is whether this resistance constitutes a broad movement capable of preventing a potentially damaging shift in CDU policy.