Merz threatens CDU members with expulsion after AfD vote
The German chancellor wants to prevent party colleagues in Saxony-Anhalt from supporting AfD candidates.
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Chancellor Friedrich Merz has threatened CDU politicians in Saxony-Anhalt with expulsion from the party if they vote for AfD candidates. The trigger is uncertainty over a secret ballot in the state parliament.
Merz spoke out on Saturday against cooperation between his Christian Democratic party and the Alternative für Deutschland. According to German media, his warning was directed specifically at CDU members in Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt.
There is uncertainty in the state parliament over whether CDU representatives previously helped elect an AfD candidate. Because the ballot was secret, it has not been established who cast which vote. Merz linked his warning to the principle that the CDU does not enter into political cooperation with the AfD.
The issue is sensitive because the AfD performed strongly in the state elections. The party therefore has a large parliamentary group, but no majority without other parties. At the same time, the CDU must prevent its representatives from indirectly helping the AfD gain influence while ensuring that parliament remains governable.
Expulsion from the party is a severe sanction and requires a formal procedure. The sources do not report that proceedings have already been launched against a specific CDU member. Nor has it been established that CDU politicians actually voted for the AfD candidate.
For Germany, the issue extends beyond a single state. The AfD is the biggest challenge facing the traditional parties, while cooperation with the party remains controversial within the CDU. Merz is seeking to draw a clear boundary, but secret ballots make enforcement of party discipline limited.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Merz warned CDU members that they could be expelled from the party if they supported AfD candidates.
- The trigger was a secret ballot in the parliament of Saxony-Anhalt.
- It is not known which individual CDU members may have voted for the AfD.
Left
Arguments A clear institutional boundary against the AfD is needed to prevent the far right from normalising its power through established parties.
Values Democratic resilience, pluralism and the protection of minorities.
Consequences The CDU may lose support among voters who want cooperation, but maintains its distance from a party seen from this left-wing perspective as a threat.
Centre
Arguments Parties may cooperate where this is necessary for effective government, but must be clear in advance about red lines and individual responsibility.
Values Governability, the rule of law and political reliability.
Consequences A firm boundary prevents uncertainty, but may make coalition-building in the states more difficult.
Right
Arguments AfD voters must not be ignored, and parliamentary majorities must be able to function without automatically excluding a large party.
Values Democratic representation, the voters' mandate and political competition.
Consequences A ban on cooperation could further strengthen the AfD by allowing it to present itself as an excluded protest party.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The main facts have been confirmed by two recent German-language sources. The text explicitly keeps the involvement of individual CDU members uncertain.
- confirmed Friedrich Merz threatened CDU politicians with expulsion from the party if they supported AfD candidates. — Reported by Der Standard and Deutsche Welle. source
- confirmed The earlier ballot was secret. — The reports describe the ballot as secret. source
- confirmed It has not been established which CDU politicians voted for the AfD candidate. — This follows from the secret nature of the ballot and the wording of the reports. source
Editor's note
Merz's threat and the context of the secret ballot were reported by German and Austrian media. The identity of any CDU voters has not been established.Sources
- Merz droht CDU-Politikern in Magdeburg bei Votum für AfD-Kandidaten — Der Standard
- Merz grozi wykluczeniem z CDU za głosowanie na AfD — Deutsche Welle
More on this in Dutch media
- NOS — „duitsland friedrich merz”
- Het Parool — „duitsland friedrich merz”
- Trouw — „duitsland friedrich merz”