Before the Stuttgart party conference of the CDU began, the chairwoman of the Left Party, Ines Schwerdtner, challenged the Union’s incompatibility ruling against the Left. She told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Friday editions) that a categorical ban on any cooperation with the Left is “childish” and would “bind the CDU’s hands”. According to Schwerdtner, the measure is mainly a cover for a decision not to pursue social policy.
Schwerdtner urged the Union to change course, warning that “policies that cut from the bottom but spare the top are meant for a minority, not for the majority”. She said the federal conference is setting the stage for what many fear: reduced protection against dismissal, lower pensions, and weaker security in times of illness.
Regarding the internal CDU debate over easing the incompatibility ruling, Schwerdtner highlighted substantive differences. “With its slash‑and‑burn policy, it still remains the biggest opponent in the Bundestag” she said.