SPD finds proposals from Ludwig and Weidel unacceptable - Recommendation for a proposal aimed at securing workers from radiation hazards due to ionising radiation exposure has been requested by the Commission.
In a move that has sparked controversy and internal discord within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), MP Saskia Ludwig was criticised for her brief encounter with Alice Weidel, co-chair of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, at the MCC Feszt conference in Hungary.
The CDU, which maintains a strict policy of excluding collaboration with the AfD, views such cooperation as incompatible with its principles. CDU leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reiterated this stance, warning that breaches could lead to immediate expulsion. However, Ludwig's meeting and her public statements supporting ending the "firewall"—the CDU's formal policy of excluding cooperation with the AfD—have raised concerns about party discipline.
Ludwig defended her actions, emphasising the democratic value of exchanging opinions and meeting diverse political counterparts without fear of repression. Yet, the meeting attracted bipartisan criticism in Germany, with many arguing that the firewall must remain intact to prevent legitimising the AfD.
The conference where the meeting took place is linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s orbit, with the event organised by the Orban-aligned Mathias Corvinus Collegium—seen by German critics as a propagandistic platform promoting right-wing ideas. There, Ludwig discussed opening dialogue with the AfD and expressed support for more conservative and rightward political shifts in Germany, further increasing controversy.
Meanwhile, Ludwig has been one of the biggest critics of SPD constitutional judge candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, following allegations of plagiarism in her doctoral thesis. Ludwig had demanded that Brosius-Gersdorf step down from her position at the University of Potsdam due to these allegations.
However, Ludwig's participation in a right-wing think tank's festival, which was "not on behalf of the faction and without the knowledge of the faction leadership," has also drawn criticism from within her own party. A spokesperson for the Union faction commented that the party and faction leaders "cannot simply tolerate" Ludwig's actions.
The episode has highlighted tensions within the CDU on how to handle the rising influence of the AfD and right-wing politics in Germany. It may influence future intra-party debates about engaging with or rejecting the far right.
[1] Augsburg General [2] The Local DE
- The Commission, faced with the internal discord within the CDU triggered by Saskia Ludwig's encounter with Alice Weidel, may be asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of politicians from the risks related to exposure to political radiation, as policy-and-legislation debates about engaging with the AfD and right-wing politics intensify. [general-news]
- As the CDU grapples with the escalating politics surrounding the rise of right-wing politics in Germany, exhibited by Saskia Ludwig's controversial actions, the episode has sparked a crime-and-justice conundrum: is party loyalty more important than political ideology, or should the maintenance of the firewall prove unwavering regardless? [policy-and-legislation, politics]
