Müller rules out coalition with Left and AfD

“It is very clear to us that we want to organize the majority from the center,” continued Müller. At the same time, he made it clear that his party would not enter into a coalition with the Left or the AfD. “If that is not possible, then the task of forming a government lies with the strongest faction,” said Müller.

The survey is merely a mood picture. The pollsters pointed out that 26 percent of those surveyed were still undecided. In the election five years ago, the CDU was still the strongest force with 37.1 percent. The AfD came in second with 20.8 percent, followed by the Left with 11.0 percent, the SPD with 8.4, the FDP with 6.4 and the Greens with 5.9 percent.

Müller contradicted reports about an alleged AfD shortlist of CDU MPs who could be won over to elect AfD top candidate Ulrich Siegmund as Prime Minister. “So I think it’s more of a duck that’s being played up by the media,” he said. “Sven Schulze has drawn up a state list here where every candidate will support him.” In the event that a majority is not achieved, Müller announced: "Our government will remain in office as an acting government if it does not have a majority. The country will therefore continue to be governed with Sven Schulze at the helm."