Breaking Away? Union Ponders Its Relationship with the Left Party
The Union deliberates over its alliance with the Left Party
In the aftermath of the challenging chancellor election, the Union is reconsidering its ties with the Left Party. With another round of voting in the Bundestag on the horizon, the CDU is open to discussions - but an incompatibility resolution lingers. Chancellor's Office Chief Frei speaks about reassessments.
The unexpected chancellor election drama has spurred internal debates within the Union about engaging with the Left Party. To enable a second round of voting, the CDU/CSU is compelled to negotiate with the Left, but the CDU carries a resolution of incompatibility against the Left.
Chancellor's Office Chief Thorsten Frei has shown willingness to reconsider this resolution. "We need to discuss this together," the CDU politician asserted on ntv's early start. Although the resolution passed at a CDU federal party congress cannot be revoked instantly, "there's a need for us to revisit some questions."
Morning After: Frei on Merz Election
On Tuesday morning, CDU leader Friedrich Merz surprisingly lost in the first round of the chancellor election. To proceed with a second round the same day, a motion was needed to shorten the timeline. This majority could be attained only with the support of the Far-right AfD or the Left Party, in addition to CDU/CSU, SPD, and Greens. Consequently, the Union also held talks with the Left. However, the CDU harbors an incompatibility resolution against the Left, established in 2018.
Politics: Left Party Fears Disarray, Merz's Uncertain Future
The persistent issue of achieving a two-thirds majority in the chancellor election has once again emerged, Frei noted. Therefore, it's now about reaching pragmatic solutions for the country. "The well-being of the nation always supersedes party interests."
Linnemann: Incompatibility Resolution Remains
On Tuesday evening, CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann stated on ZDF that past procedural issues had already been clarified between the parliamentary business managers. He stressed that "the incompatibility resolution still stands," but acknowledged scope for future discussions. The CDU is a party "that openly addresses such issues."
The new Union parliamentary business manager, Steffen Bilger, confirmed on Wednesday on Welt that the new negotiations with the Left were not aimed at substantive cooperation. "The incompatibility resolution still applies," Bilger stated. Yet, there will be opportunities in the Bundestag in the following weeks for talks on organizational matters.
Schwerdtner's Call for Closer Union-Left Cooperation
Left Party leader Ines Schwerdtner has urged the CDU/CSU to cooperate more closely with her party in the future. She expects the Union to engage with her party not only during crises but also on other key decisions that require a two-thirds majority. She remarked to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland: "Democratic parties should be able to communicate with each other."
The Union did not negotiate with the AfD during the chancellor election. The CDU has also passed a non-affiliation resolution regarding the AfD, which the Verfassungsschutz has recently classified as "securely right-wing extremist."
Weidel's Accusations against CDU
On Wednesday, AfD leader Alice Weidel slammed the CDU for allegedly seeking a pact with the Left. She claimed that a small coalition of Union and SPD would struggle to govern.
With coalition agreements focusing on economic revival, military buildup, and migration control, the CDU and the Left Party's ideological differences may further complicate potential collaboration in the Bundestag. The Left Party often advocates for more progressive immigration policies and social reforms, which contrast with the CDU's conservative approach. As such, comprehensive cooperation between the two parties remains an uphill battle. Nevertheless, ad hoc collaborations may occur on specific legislative issues where their interests align, albeit infrequently.
- The commission has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, as discussions about the compatibility of the Union and the Left Party continue.
- Despite the incompatibility resolution, the Union seems open to limited collaboration with the Left Party, as they look to achieve a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag.
- The recent election drama has led to increased discussions about potential cooperation between the Union and the Left Party, although WhatsApp group chats suggest that some Union members view such collaboration as a form of humiliation.
- As the Union reconsiders its relationship with the Left Party, policy-and-legislation scholar Professor Kloeckner from the University of Munich suggests that the political ideologies of the two parties might be too incompatible for long-term collaboration, but they could find common ground in certain policy areas, such as general news reporting on environmental issues.
