Press
Scholz rules out BSW participation in the federal government. At the state level, however, associations should decide for themselves whether to form a coalition with the party.
Berlin – Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) is counting on there not being an AfD prime minister after the state elections in the east. An AfD head of government “would be very depressing,” said Scholz on Sunday in an ARD summer interview. However, he is “quite confident” that the other parties alongside the AfD will have the majority in the state parliaments in the next elections.
In Thuringia and Saxony, new state parliaments will be elected on September 1st, and in Brandenburg the vote will take place on September 22nd. In polls, the AfD is ahead in all three states, albeit by a small margin. In Brandenburg, the SPD was recently in second place together with the CDU, and in Thuringia and Saxony it is currently only in single figures.
Scholz and Merz see decision-making sovereignty with the respective state associations of their parties
Scholz commented on the fact that the SPD is only getting seven percent in some parts of the east with the words: “Something is going on there. And I think we can’t beat around the bush.” Many people do not agree with the support for Ukraine and the sanctions against Russia. “This is also reflected in the election results,” Scholz said on ARD. But there is “no alternative to changing this.” This must be discussed in both the east and west of Germany.
With a view to a possible participation in the government of the Sahra Wagenknecht coalition (BSW) after the upcoming state elections, both Scholz and CDU chairman Friedrich Merz believe that the decision-making authority lies with the respective state associations of their parties. “It has proven to be a good idea to let those who have local experience make their own decisions and not to let outside influences,” said Scholz in an interview with ARD. This still applies. There is agreement across the board that the AfD is “not acceptable as a partner.” “We must not cooperate with them,” stressed Scholz.
BSW cooperation reveals differences within the CDU
Merz also confirmed on Sunday in the ZDF summer interview with regard to a possible cooperation with the BSW that the decision rests with the CDU state associations. “What happens at the state political level after these very difficult state elections in the fall is something that the state parties must first decide,” said Merz. There is “a consensus” on this in the CDU.
The debate about a possible cooperation with the BSW had revealed differences within the CDUWhile Thuringia’s CDU top candidate Mario Voigt and Brandenburg’s CDU leader Jan Redmann are keeping the possibility of working with the BSW open, Merz initially clearly rejected a coalition with the Wagenknecht alliance. After this sparked some criticism within the party, he clarified that the statement only applied to the federal government.
According to surveys, BSW is already in third place in Saxony and Thuringia
In surveys, the BSW is currently ranked third in Thuringia and Saxony behind the AfD and CDU, and in Brandenburg it is ranked fourth behind the currently governing SPD. Since no party wants to form a coalition with the AfD, which is currently leading in surveys, the BSW could also be involved in new state governments.
BSW boss Wagenknecht has criticized the Chancellor after the summer interview. Scholz had “not understood the message of the voters,” said Wagenknecht on Sunday afternoon. “Zero self-criticism, no course correction.” The “catastrophic European election result of the traffic light coalition” and the high dissatisfaction in the country seemed to play no role for the Chancellor, she criticized.
Wagenknecht: “Germany cannot afford a traffic light coalition”
In the interview, Olaf Scholz commented on the poor results of the SPD and the traffic light parties in the European elections as well as on his approval ratings as Chancellor. After the European elections, calls for new elections were louder from the opposition.
“We are moving forward together,” said Scholz, “including into the next federal election, to win it.” Sahra Wagenknecht said that Germany “cannot afford to let the traffic light coalition continue to gamble away everything that millions of people have built up with hard work for another year and a half.”
#Alliance #Wagenknechts #party #taboo #Scholz #state #level