CDU politician Kiesewetter demands an apology from the AfD for statements about Ilse Aigner

CDU foreign politician Roderich Kiesewetter has called on the AfD to apologize to the candidate for Federal President, Ilse Aigner.

The AfD should “formally invite” the CSU politician, combined with a request for forgiveness or an apology, said Kiesewetter in an interview with WELT TV.

Aigner plans to present herself in the Bundestag on Tuesday – one day after her official nomination. However, she rejected an invitation from the AfD parliamentary group.

This was justified by their spokesman with a posting by AfD politician Beatrix von Storch, who described the nomination of the CSU politician on X as a “show of poverty”.

Kiesewetter defended Aigner's decision.

“It’s understandable that Ilse Aigner doesn’t want to talk to a party like that that she also despises,” said the CDU politician.

Specifically, AfD parliamentary group vice-president von Storch had written about the 61-year-old's nomination on

"This is how the highest state office is filled in Germany. This is an indictment," wrote von Storch.

Even before the debate about who would be nominated for the office, von Storch had criticized the decision to appoint a woman for the office: "This is the paradox of the gender gaga: On the one hand, there should be no biological gender, on the other hand, precisely this biological gender is the most important criterion, more important than qualifications and everything else. We live in a gaga republic," wrote the deputy chairwoman of the AfD parliamentary group.

In response to the objection that Aigner could have demonstrated her non-partisanship by visiting the AfD, Kiesewetter told WELT TV that she would have to decide for herself.

“But the way in which a candidate is now being treated shows how contemptuously the AfD views our state, our free-democratic basic order.” He described Aigner as a “top candidate who will unite the center again”.

The election of the CSU politician and President of the Bavarian State Parliament Aigner is considered almost certain.

The CDU/CSU and SPD have a majority of around 50 votes in the Federal Assembly.

The Greens have also signaled support for the CSU politician.

The AfD and the Left intend to put forward their own candidates.

According to their own statements, the Left also did not invite Aigner.

The new head of state will be elected on January 30th.