CDU leader Friedrich Merz has expressed skepticism about his party's cooperation with the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance, but has given the state associations in Saxony and Thuringia a free hand for negotiations with the BSW.
"This is a cadre party of a person who has spoken out on global politics in these two state election campaigns," he said after consultations with the CDU leadership. "But I don't know what this party has to say about the sewage charges in Thuringia and Saxony," Merz added to the joint appearance with Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer and the state party leader of Thuringia, Mario Voigt, in Berlin.
Asked about possible overlaps between the CDU and BSW, Merz said he could not answer the question. "I have a feeling or a look at the person Sahra Wagenknecht. I have no idea who else has come together in this alliance," Merz added. In Thuringia, the BSW had only put up a candidate in six out of 44 constituencies.
Merz: BSW a red box
"In this respect, it's a kind of black box or red box, as you always want," said the CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader with regard to Wagenknecht, who was formerly a member of the SED and was considered the front woman of the Communist Platform in the Left Party. "We'll have to take a look and then our colleagues in Thuringia and Saxony will have to answer that," added Merz with regard to Voigt and Kretschmer.
CDU leader: decision on incompatibility with the Left Party still applies
Talking about the Federal CDU's decision on incompatibility with the Left Party from 2018, which also applies to the AfD, Merz said: "The decision applies. And dealing with it will then also be a matter for the two state associations in Saxony and Thuringia." In Thuringia, a three-party coalition led by Voigt with the BSW and SPD is likely to rely on the Left Party.
Merz said that the election results in both states had shown: "The CDU is the last bulwark from the democratic center against the far-right populism of our country."
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