At the Junge Union's Germany Day in Bonn, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) urgently warned the SPD and the Greens against collaborating with the Left. “If you want to strengthen the political center and if you want democracy to remain protected in our country, you should not have any conversations with such left-wing radicals or even join a coalition,” Merz called out to the delegates. “Stop going down this path,” demanded the CDU leader to applause.
The exploratory talks between the SPD, the Greens and the Left in Berlin were the focus of his criticism. The three parties had previously reached an agreement to deal with anti-Semitic incidents in the ranks of the left. Possible sanctions up to and including expulsion from the group are also planned.
Merz reiterated that anti-Semitism has no place in Germany. “We stand up against anyone who questions Israel’s right to exist,” he said. At the same time, the Chancellor warned of right-wing extremism within his own ranks. With a view to the election of the AfD politician Tobias Rausch as President of the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt, he warned: “Anyone in our ranks who is of the opinion that such people should be elected to state office has no place in the CDU Germany, absolutely nothing.”
The AfD wants to change the republic to the far right, said Merz. The CDU must also oppose this. He also referred to the support of Ukraine. During his visit to Kyiv less than two weeks ago, he experienced the devastation of the country, but also the people's desire for freedom. “We must not leave this country and the people of Ukraine alone right now in the upcoming hard, fifth winter of war and we will not leave them alone,” said the Chancellor. The threat from Russia is “very real for all of us.”
The appearance took place against the backdrop of poor poll numbers and the Union's recent election defeats. The Junge Union opened its Germany Day on Friday and confirmed its chairman Johannes Winkel in office with 94.3 percent of the valid votes. When he was re-elected in 2024, he received 90.5 percent.
At the start, Winkel sent a confident signal to the parent party. “Our generation still has a lot to do with this union,” he said. The Junge Union will continue to successfully write the history of the People's Party of the CDU and CSU. At the same time, he called for a political awakening and warned against backward-looking politics.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst also sharply criticized Berlin's coalition explorations. The negotiations aimed at bringing the left to power were “a disgrace for the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany,” he said. The “poison of anti-Semitism” has seeped deep into the Berlin left. Wüst called on the SPD and the Greens to end this path.
Winkel also clearly differentiated himself from the AfD. As long as it “adopts nationalistic positions and brings extremists into its ranks, we will not work with this party,” he said. For him, this is “a question of character and not of poll numbers.”
Current figures from the opinion research institute INSA show how great the pressure is on the Union. In the nationwide “Sunday trend”, the AfD and CDU/CSU each lost one percentage point. The AfD remains the strongest force with 29 percent, the Union has 18 percent. The Greens are unchanged at 14 percent, the SPD at 13 percent.
On the other hand, the Left and the Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), which each gained one percentage point, were able to make gains. The Left achieved eleven percent, the BSW four percent. The FDP is also at four percent. This means that the Union and SPD together only have 31 percent. According to INSA boss Hermann Binkert, the two former popular parties have “lost almost a third of votes” since the 2025 federal election.
The CDU is also under pressure in North Rhine-Westphalia, where a new state parliament will be elected next year. In another INSA survey for “Bild” it only came to 26 percent – eight percentage points less than six months ago. The AfD, on the other hand, gained four points to 21 percent. The Greens achieved 16 percent, the SPD 18 percent.
According to these figures, it would not be enough for the black-green coalition under Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst to continue. A mathematical majority, on the other hand, would have an alliance of the CDU, SPD and the Greens. INSA boss Binkert also blamed Chancellor Friedrich Merz for the weaker performance of the NRW CDU: The “unpopular Chancellor Friedrich Merz is also dragging Hendrik Wüst down,” he told “Bild”.
How the Union can get out of its poll low was also the topic of a WELT TV interview with Digital Minister Carsten Wildberger (CDU) on the sidelines of Germany Day. Before Merz's appearance, Wildberger said that the poor poll numbers worried him. The policy has not yet been well received by people. At the same time, he referred to the crises that unsettled many people and to necessary reforms that not everyone liked.
It is crucial to implement the government's plans and to communicate more clearly how they contribute to Germany's future. “We have to do more,” said Wildberger. He was nevertheless confident that the Union would succeed in regaining trust.
With a view to the criticism of the federal government from the Junge Union, the Digital Minister emphasized that a young generation is demanding reforms and driving the government forward. This is normal and important and should provide tailwind. At the same time, the coalition must show that it is actually keeping its promises.
When asked about the connection between the Union's poor poll numbers and Merz's low popularity, Wildberger pointed to the responsibility of the entire government. Dissatisfaction is often projected onto a single person. In the end, however, all government parties and the democratic center will be asked to regain trust and implement the announced plans.
The Junge Union's Germany Day runs until Sunday. CSU boss Markus Söder is expected at the end. However, JU chairman Winkel emphasized that the meeting was not an exhibition of possible candidates for chancellor. “This is not a chancellor casting,” he said.
