As coalition talks drag on, the Christian Democrats (CDU) are feeling the pressure. Their poll numbers are slipping, while the Alternative for Germany (AfD) is soaring—now just a single point behind them.
Dennis Radtke, leader of the CDU’s workers’ wing, voiced concern in an interview with Handelsblatt. “We need to clearly explain why we’re making certain decisions, including defense investments to ensure our children don’t have to learn Russian,” he warned, calling the situation “problematic and dangerous.” Radtke is demanding an “honest analysis” of the election results and cautioned against the illusion of an absolute CDU victory.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Welt newspaper paints an even bleaker picture. Deputy editor Ulf Poschardt criticized the CDU’s rigid stance against the AfD, arguing that it only fuels the rival party’s rise. He blamed the CDU’s alignment with leftist political trends for its decline, suggesting that what Angela Merkel couldn’t finish—dismantling the party—Friedrich Merz might just complete.
Poschardt also urged CDU conservatives to reject a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD). “Conservatives in the CDU/CSU must decide whether they want to enable their own party’s destruction in a reckless partnership with the SPD. This isn’t just about the party anymore—the whole country is edging closer to disaster,” he warned.
Gitta Connemann, chairwoman of the CDU’s Small and Medium-Sized Business Union, also raised concerns. “Dire predictions before negotiations even wrap up aren’t helping anyone, least of all Germany,” she told Handelsblatt.
A fresh Forsa poll shows the AfD at 24%, just behind the CDU’s 25%. If an election were held today, the CDU wouldn’t have the numbers to form a coalition with the SPD.
Adding to the turmoil, Friedrich Merz made an about-face on his campaign promise to uphold the debt brake. Soon after the election, he proposed borrowing hundreds of billions and pushed a constitutional change to make it happen—securing its passage before the new Bundestag could take office.
Meanwhile, speculation swirls around the domestic intelligence agency, the BfV. Reports suggest it may soon classify the AfD as a “confirmed right-wing extremist” organization, potentially paving the way for a parliamentary vote on banning the party. If that happens, the matter would move to the Constitutional Court.
Should a ban go through, Germany could find itself outlawing what has become one of its most popular political parties.
