As the state elections in Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony approach, the CDU is facing a complex challenge in forming a government. While the CDU continues to uphold its incompatibility decision regarding cooperation with the Left Party and the AfD, some members of the party are exploring potential partners for coalition formation.
CDU federal vice-president Karin Prien has not ruled out collaboration with the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance (BSW) after the three East German state elections. She emphasized that it is important to assess BSW’s candidates and political goals before deciding on potential collaboration. On the other hand, CDU Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) has advocated for increased openness in cooperating with the Left Party. However, he made it clear that the CDU would not seek a coalition with them despite their differences.
Despite their differences, Günther acknowledged that the Left Party is not equivalent to the AfD in its threat to democracy. The upcoming state elections pose a significant challenge for all parties involved as majorities in federal states remain uncertain, and forming a government may be unclear. Nevertheless, as Prien emphasized earlier this year at a meeting of German regional leaders, cooperation between parties can help create stability and foster reconciliation in divided societies like Germany’s former East Germany.