Kretschmer calls for clarification in CDU-AfD debate at municipal level

Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer has insisted on clarification in the discussion about the demarcation between the CDU and AfD at municipal level. "There are no firewalls in the Basic Law and you will find everywhere in the municipal regulations in Germany that a municipal council, a district council is not a parliament, but part of the administration," the CDU politician told a journalist from Deutschlandfunk radio on Wednesday in an interview on the 75th anniversary of the Basic Law.

There are repeated discussions about the fact that the CDU is not distancing itself enough from the state AfD, which has since been classified as right-wing extremist by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony, particularly in local politics. In the past, for example, it was criticized that the CDU in the district council of Bautzen had approved an AfD motion on refugee policy by a majority. The CDU district administrator there, Udo Witschas, is a declared opponent of the "firewall" policy.

In response to the question of whether the Basic Law needs positive emotions, Kretschmer said: "Germany needs healthy patriotism, and I believe we have fought to regain this in recent years." International soccer championships have contributed to this. "Then there were the black, red and gold flags and we were happy together. I hope it will be the same this year." The European Football Championship will be held in Germany this summer.

Kretschmer praised the Basic Law: "It is a truly great constitution that has brought a great deal of prosperity and happiness to Germans in East and West."

The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany was promulgated on May 23, 1949. It has been in force in the new federal states for 34 years - since reunification.