Union in Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt: No to the AfD

The CDU/CSU parliamentary group leaders from Bavaria, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt are vehemently opposed to the AfD - and categorically rule out any coalition or cooperation, as well as approval of AfD motions. This is the conclusion of a joint paper presented by Klaus Holetschek (CSU), Christian Hartmann and Guido Heuer (both CDU) at a CSU parliamentary group meeting in Bad Staffelstein, Upper Franconia.

"Behind the AfD is a political movement that systematically disparages these institutions, our values and the procedures of democracy," reads the paper, which is declared to be "joint food for thought". "That is why we cannot cooperate with this party, not in the form of joint parliamentary initiatives, not with hidden or open compromises and certainly not in coalitions. This is an expression of political responsibility towards our free and democratic basic order." The three parliamentary group leaders also emphasized: "We will not agree to motions and other political initiatives from extreme parties."

Holetschek: Democracy is under pressure, from the right and the left

"We know that democracy is under pressure, from the right and the left," said Holetschek. "We stand together against extremism - and it is also clear with regard to the AfD that there will be no cooperation." Hartmann said: "We also want to make it clear that there cannot and will not be any cooperation with the AfD in the form of coalitions and collaborations, and that we will also draw a clear line here." Heuer also ruled out an alliance with the left: "There will be no cooperation with the AfD, and there will also be no coalition with the left - that is also very clear to me," he said.

Hartmann also argued, however, that distancing oneself from the AfD does not mean excluding it. We don't want to make it easy for the AfD to appear as martyrs. "That's why we also need political discourse to make it clear who stands for what in this country," he emphasized.

The three parliamentary group leaders are also firmly opposed to any extremism from the left: The continued growth of left-wing populist and left-wing extremist tendencies is also a challenge to democracy that must be taken seriously, the joint paper states.