Whether mainstream politicians persisted in their decision to turn their backs entirely to the German alternate (AfD) — a organization that promotes anti-immigration and anti-EU policies — became questionable as shortly as She finished second in this year's election. This was the first case in the post-war past of the country erstwhile the far right group was so successful.
Some AfD MPs behind closed doors have already started building ties with members of another groups and have received clear signals that they will be able to chair crucial parliamentary committees," said POLITICO activists of the party.
“The voters wanted to tell us something”
AfD won over 20% of the vote and secured 152 seats, Becoming the largest opposition organization in the Bundestag. This empowers her to chair respective parliamentary committees. These positions have real power due to the fact that the president of the committee is in charge of debates, calls on experts and influences the agenda.
Jens Spahn, erstwhile Minister of wellness at the CDU, said in an interview with the paper “Bild” that the AfD should be treated “in parliamentary procedures and trials like any another opposition party”.
He said.
To date, the CDU and another mainstream parties, including the centre-left SPD of the outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz, have observed this rule to keep AfD at a distance. They have repeatedly blocked her from acting as Vice-President of the Bundestag, a position which is customary for each parliamentary group.
Johann Wadephul, vice-president of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, said that this blockade helped AfD present itself to the public as a victim. He now says to let the party's candidates to chair the committees, "if they have not acted improperly in the past".
‘AfD is not a organization like any other’
Merz had already once, during the election campaign, cooperated with Alice Weidel's organization to push through his proposal on migration with the AfD votes in Parliament. It's a move. However, there was quite a few criticism at the time.
The CDU's strategy now seems to be to delegate more responsibilities and air time to the far right in the hope that people will discourage themselves.
“In an interview with the Frankfurt paper “FAZ”, Philipp Amthor, MP of the CDU, considered the rising star of the party.
EPA/CHRISTOPH SOEDER / PAPpresident of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz and co-chair of the Social Democratic organization (SPD) Lars Klingbeil and Saskia Esken participate in a press conference on a joint coalition agreement, Berlin, Germany, 9 April 2025.
However, not all CDU members agree with this approach. elder Parliamentary Roderich Kiesewetter called AfD “a threat to the safety of Germany”. In an interview with the broadcaster, RBB said that "there should be no place for AfD members in the intelligence service monitoring team, nor in the budget assurance committee."
The SPD, which finalized a government agreement with the Merza organization last week, is already scrapping off the CDU on this issue. In an interview with the paper “Tagespiegel” the SPD Parliamentary Secretary Katja Mast stated that “AfD is not a organization like any other”. “We will defend our democratic institutions, especially our parliament, with full determination,” she announced.
Negotiations on the presidency of committees are inactive ongoing and are likely to end after 6 May, erstwhile Merz is to be sworn in as Chancellor.
