Merz Upholds CDU Ban on AfD Cooperation as Party Nears 40% in Eastern Germany

3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Aug 24

Friedrich Merz is sticking to the CDU’s incompatibility resolution barring cooperation with the AfD, despite mounting pressure as the far-right party gains strength in eastern Germany.
Around 40% support in some eastern regions has made it harder for mainstream parties to form governing majorities without broad, awkward alliances, raising doubts about how long the firewall can hold.
January 2025 exposed the strain when a CDU asylum motion passed in the Bundestag with AfD backing, a breach critics still cite even as Merz now avoids the term “firewall.”
CDU leaders are trying to shut down internal dissent after eastern figures questioned the policy; parliamentary group chair Thorsten Frei said the ban on cooperation cannot vary by state.
Local councils have often voted with AfD support, and opponents of the firewall argue long-term exclusion of such a large voter bloc creates a democratic deficit while critics warn of normalization.