Max Otte’s candidacy provokes a storm within the CDU whose members demand that he hand over his party card
The populist and ultranationalist Alternative for Germany (AfD) has caused a political earthquake in Berlin with the presentation of a high-ranking Christian Democratic politician as a candidate for the Federal Presidency, despite the fact that the conservatives announced weeks ago that they supported the re-election of Frank Walter Steinmeier as head of the State. Max Otte, president of the Union of Values, an influential conservative association of Bavarian Christian Democrats and Christian Socialists (CDU/CSU), confirmed his aspirations to become Germany’s top president, despite criticism from his own parliamentary group and senior officials in the two Union formations.
“I don’t consider it a provocation. It’s something serious,” Otte said during the presentation of his candidacy accompanied by the two AfD parliamentary leaders in the Bundestag, Alice Waidel and Timo Chrupalla, in which he said he felt “honored” by the initiative of the ultranationalists and assured that it is of an opportunity to close the ditches that separate them from the rest of the parties, which keep the AfD completely isolated and reject any collaboration with the eurosceptic and racist formation.
«When one is proposed for the highest position in the state, which is above the political parties, it is not, in my opinion, a cooperation. It is an individual decision whether or not to accept the proposal », declared the Christian Democratic politician, who stated that he saw « no reason to reflect on an abandonment » of his own party. While Chrupalla spoke of “a great day for democracy”, Weidel pointed out that his formation presents with Otte “an honorable candidate for the Federal Presidency”.
Shortly before, the outgoing general secretary of the CDU, Paul Zimiak, had demanded that Otte immediately leave the Christian Democratic Union. Who does not clearly exclude the possibility of allowing himself to be elected by representatives of the AfD “is such an attack against the fundamental values of the CDU that it can no longer have a place within it,” said Zimiak. For his part, the leader of the conservative parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Ralph Brinkhaus, recalled that the Union’s candidate for the head of the German State is Steinmeier and stressed that “whoever stands as a candidate against our candidate has no place in our party . It’s that simple”.
next consequences
The CDU “will act very, very consistently,” warned Brinkhaus, implying that the conservatives will take the necessary steps to expel Otte from their ranks if he finally presents himself as the ultra-nationalist candidate in the election of the German head of state. The National Assembly will be held on February 13. Otte, for his part, has already declared that he “will not voluntarily leave” the Christian Democratic Union.
Otte’s candidacy has surprised German conservatives, not only by backing the AfD proposal, but also because it lacks any chance of success. Steinmeier already has the overwhelming support of Social Democrats, Conservatives, Greens and Liberals who add up to an unquestionable majority in the Federal Assembly, so his re-election is certain. In the meantime, the Cologne constituency of the CDU, to which Otte belongs, has announced that it will initiate the procedure for the expulsion of the party’s ultra-nationalist candidate in line with what was agreed with the leadership of the party in North Rhine-Westphalia and the executive federal.
A spokeswoman for the Christian Democrats in the Rhenish city stressed that Otte’s political activities have long been critically observed and commented that they consider the conditions for his expulsion from the party to be met. Bavaria and the CSU have also reacted with indignation at the initiative of the controversial politician who plays into the hands of the ultranationalists.
The parliamentary leader of the Bavarian conservatives in the Bundestag, Alexander Dobrindt, also demanded that he hand over his party card and described Otte’s “flirting” with the populist formation as “irresponsible”. The candidacy of its president also calls into question the “WerteUnión” itself, the Union of Values, an association with 4,000 members that is considered to represent the most conservative currents within the Union, although it does not officially belong to its Organization chart. Internal critics have long accused its president of siding with the AfD and trying to push the group to the extreme right of the political spectrum.
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