Merz warns against radical right-wing government in Saxony-Anhalt, AfD targets 40%. in the federal elections

At a meeting of the CDU board - according to the Bild report - Merz talked about the emerging prospect of a "radical right-wing government" in Saxony-Anhalt.

We have a strong constitution, we have all the instruments to defend the constitution against the radical right-wing state government, but we are dealing with a tectonic shock of our party system, said the chancellor, quoted by a German tabloid.

According to Merz, the AfD's goal is to "completely destroy the CDU." The leader of the Christian Democrats again ruled out any cooperation with this group.

“The government has failed to find emotional access to people.”

The Chancellor also allegedly stated that the result in Saxony-Anhalt "shakes the CDU to its very foundations" and the government and he himself "cannot simply ignore it." According to Merz, the CDU was expected to "dramatically lose" the elections.

As "Bild" further reports, the chancellor became self-critical. As he said, the government "failed to find emotional access to people."

Merz then made an appeal for unity. We will only deal with this if we talk openly about the problems among the management, he said. He added that each member of the Christian Democrats should be aware that "public statements against the party" harm the CDU.

Weidel follows suit

In turn, co-chair of the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), Alice Weidel, said on Monday that her party is targeting 40 percent in the next German federal elections.

My declared goal is to significantly increase this advantage in a very short time and achieve at least 40%. support in the next federal elections, Weidel said.

On Sunday, after the results were announced in Saxony-Anhalt, Weidel said she expected early elections to the Bundestag and that Friedrich Merz would be replaced as chancellor before Christmas.

Tempting MPs

The AfD won the elections in Saxony-Anhalt with 43.8 percent. votes. Second place went to the CDU of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz - with 17.2 percent. The German press, commenting on the elections, writes about "democracy at a turning point", a "political earthquake" and a "last warning" for Merz.

The AfD will not have a majority of seats in the Saxony-Anhalt parliament, but it will strive to form a government by trying to win individual MPs from other parties to its side. If it succeeded, it would create a government at the federal state level for the first time in its history.

The extreme right and the extreme left side by side?

Cooperation between the AfD and the far-left BSW is considered possible, as it has exceeded the five percent threshold and will have five deputies in Magdeburg. BSW's main candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Thomas Schulze, announced on Monday that he is open to talks with either party and will not join the isolation of the AfD. For me, AfD is the party that 44 percent voted for. people here. I have to take this into account, this is democracy, he said.