Chatty Politics: The Union's Dance with the Left Party - A Changing Tune?
Union deliberates its alignment with the Left Party
Politics in Germany has taken a twist, as the Union (CDU/CSU) finds itself needing the Left Party for another round of voting in the Bundestag. Despite having an incompatibility resolution in place, Chief of Staff Thorsten Frei hinted at reassessments, suggesting a willingness to chat with the Left Party.
Remember the surprising election for the Chancellor when CDU leader Friedrich Merz fell short in the first round? The Union, to hold a second round on the same day, had to discuss pragmatic solutions, leading to talks with the Left Party. However, the CDU has an incompatibility resolution against the Left, a resolution that has been in place since a CDU party congress in 2018.
In the heat of the Chancellor's election, the Union faced the challenge of achieving a two-thirds majority twice. CDU General Secretary, Carsten Linnemann, earlier stated that the incompatibility resolution stands, but left room for future discussions at party congresses. The Union's new parliamentary business manager, Steffen Bilger, also confirmed that the new talks with the Left were not about substantive cooperation, but rather about handling organizational questions.
While the Left Party's leader, Ines Schwerdtner, has called for closer cooperation with the Union in the future, the Union did not engage in talks with the AfD during the Chancellor's election. The CDU has also passed a non-affiliation resolution regarding the AfD, recently classified as "undoubtedly right-wing extremist" by the constitutional protection agency.
AfD leader Alice Weidel, on the other hand, accused the CDU of wanting to "pact with the Left." She argued that a small coalition of Union and SPD will struggle to govern.
Despite historical ideological differences, the Union seems open to reconsidering its stance against the Left Party. Time will tell if this dance between the parties leads to a new step or a misstep.
- The Left
- CDU
- CSU
- Friedrich Merz
- The Union (CDU/CSU) has been reconsidering its incompatibility resolution against the Left Party, as demonstrated by conversations with the Left Party in the aftermath of Friedrich Merz's weak performance in the Chancellor's election.
- In the recent politics, the Union has found it necessary to engage in talks with the Left Party to achieve a two-thirds majority for the Chancellor's election, despite the resolution passed in a CDU party congress in 2018 prohibiting such collaboration.
- As the Union looks to the future, General Secretary Carsten Linnemann and new parliamentary business manager, Steffen Bilger, have confirmed that the purpose of the new talks with the Left is to address organizational questions, not to engage in substantial cooperation.
- To further position itself in policy-and-legislation and general-news discussions, the Union has passed a non-affiliation resolution regarding the AfD, while not entering into any talks with the AfD during the Chancellor's election given its classification as "undoubtedly right-wing extremist" by the constitutional protection agency.
