"Feelin' the Heat" Guttenberg: AfD at 35%, Union May Need to Bend Over Backwards
Union's potential as junior partner heightened with AfD gaining 35% in Guttenberg's analysis
In the eyes of ex-minister Guttenberg, the Union might be forced to join hands with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the upcoming federal election. "Ain't sayin' it's a done deal, but it's definite on the table," Guttenberg told Spiegel.
If AfD manages to grab a whopping 35% in the 2029 vote, according to Guttenberg's prediction, the Union would have little choice but to partner up. But fear not, Guttenberg hopes the Alt-Right will keep their numbers modest. "If they dare to reach that 35%, well, exclusion in 2029 could be a real possibility," Guttenberg warned.
The CSU bigwig added, "Given that number, it's hard to rule out the AfD being the underdog in the year 2029, depending on the circumstances back then." To prevent this from happening, these upcoming years are crunch time. "The pressure is on," Guttenberg emphasized. "These two years will make or break it. We don't got time for patience."
As of today, the AfD and the Union are neck and neck at 25%, according to polls. The SPD trails with a 10% gap, lagging behind at 15%, while the Greens and the Left follow with 12% and 10%, respectively. The BSW and FDP trail with 3% each.
Guttenberg Dreams of Honesty with the People
When asked if conscription should make a comeback, Guttenberg echoed a resounding, "You betcha, if the people are on board." The former minister felt that the government should have reconsidered the decision to axe conscription shortly after the Russian invasion in Ukraine, back in 2022. "I was all for it back in 2014, but they didn't listen," Guttenberg lamented.
Guttenberg defended himself for letting conscription slip through his fingers during his tenure, stating, "The economy was in shambles, and we just couldn't spare the dough. The chancellor and the finance minister decided we had to save at any cost." Looking back, he wished he had pushed for a 100-billion special fund. "I would've been a flipping somersaulter, m'youth," he said.
- Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
- CDU
- CSU
- AfD
- German Bundestag
- Federal Government
Extra Insights:
- The Union coalition with the SPD in the 2025 federal election was a response to the AfD's strong showing, but the AfD was still considered ineligible for a coalition.
- Key policy areas addressed in the latest coalition agreement focus on economic stability and digital transformation. However, there is no mention of the AfD as a potential partner.
- Future coalition options for the Union may include partnerships with the Greens or FDP, depending on electoral outcomes and policy alignments. However, the potentially polarizing views of the AfD make it unlikely to become a coalition partner for the Union or other mainstream parties.
- Ex-minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg contemplates a possible partnership between the Union and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the 2029 German Bundestag election, should the AfD reach a significant 35% vote share.
- Guttenberg suggests that the Union's cooperation with the SPD in the 2025 federal election was a reaction to the AfD's significant showing, but the AfD was still ineligible for a coalition.
- In the latest coalition agreement, the Union’s priority policy areas are economic stability and digital transformation, with no mention of the AfD as a potential partner.
- As the general election of 2029 approaches, the Union may consider coalition options with parties such as the Greens or FDP, depending on electoral outcomes and policy alignments. However, the polarizing views of the AfD make it an unlikely coalition partner for the Union or other mainstream parties.
