CDU politician engaged in a remote discussion with AfD Union party members
CDU Politician Under Fire for Participating in Right-Wing Think Tank Festival
A CDU politician, Saskia Ludwig, has found herself at the centre of controversy after participating in a right-wing think tank festival organised by the Mathias-Corvinus-Collegium (MCC) in Hungary. The MCC, a think tank with financial ties to the Hungarian government under Viktor Orbán, is known for its authoritarian political leanings.
At the event, Ludwig reportedly expressed openness to the CDU working with the far-right AfD party, a stance that contradicts the CDU's general stance against AfD collaboration. This occurrence has sparked internal criticism within the CDU, with the parliamentary faction reprimanding Ludwig for attending the festival and engaging with AfD leader Alice Weidel.
The Green Youth, representing the younger environmental and progressive wing, has also voiced disapproval of Ludwig's actions, criticising the legitimization of right-wing extremist elements through such participation. The controversy has raised concerns about associations with far-right politics and potential shifts or fractures within CDU attitudes towards the AfD.
The MCC festival was sponsored by major corporations, including the Hungarian MOL oil company and German firms such as Kirchhoff Automotive. However, some sponsors have since distanced themselves from the event due to its controversial nature.
Saskia Ludwig served as the state chairwoman of the CDU Brandenburg from 2010 to 2012. At the MCC event, she was part of a panel titled "A New Government in Unstable Global Political Waters." Ludwig has defended her participation, referring to free exchange of opinions as a central element of a democratic society.
Unverified photos circulating online show Ludwig and AfD leader Alice Weidel at the festival. In January, Ludwig advocated against a firewall with the AfD and showed openness to a "center-right coalition."
The CDU's incompatibility resolution from 2018 rejects coalitions and similar forms of cooperation with the AfD and the Left. The CDU Brandenburg's General Secretary, Gordon Hoffmann, has stated that there is a party congress resolution ruling out coalitions with the AfD.
The University of Potsdam is currently investigating preliminary cases of plagiarism in Ludwig's own doctoral thesis. The Green Youth is demanding the exclusion of Saskia Ludwig from the CDU's parliamentary faction.
Meanwhile, CDU leader Friedrich Merz has repeatedly stated that there will be no cooperation with the AfD under his leadership. AfD leader Alice Weidel, however, expressed surprise at the criticism and considered the conversation with Ludwig to be casual and brief.
This incident serves as a reminder of the delicate balance that political parties must maintain in a democratic society, where the exchange of ideas is crucial, but associations with controversial figures and organisations can potentially harm the party's reputation and standing.
The CDU's policy-and-legislation on cooperating with far-right parties like the AfD is being questioned due to Saskia Ludwig's participation in a right-wing think tank festival, which has sparked internal and external criticism. This general news event, which involves politics and crime-and-justice aspects, raises concerns about potential shifts within the CDU's stance towards the AfD.
