Thuringia's Minister-President criticizes focus on AfD and firewall – "This is destroying us"
Mario Voigt considers the CDU to be the "dominant force" and calls for an end to the constant debate about the AfD. The Thuringian state premier rejects the term "firewall" as "fear-driven." Instead, he believes "a positive atmosphere must finally return to the country."
The Thuringian Minister-President Mario Voigt (CDU) is calling on his party to adopt a more assertive approach to the AfD, which is classified in part as right-wing extremist. "The CDU must stand firm," Voigt told the "Bild am Sonntag" newspaper. "We provide the Chancellor, we have eight state premiers, a third of the mayors, and two-thirds of the district administrators. The CDU/CSU determines the course of this country."
The CDU must confidently state: "We are the dominant force – and we will not let the discussion constantly revolve around the AfD." A positive general mood must finally return to the country, said Voigt, criticizing the AfD's "pessimistic attitude."
He refused to speak of a firewall against the AfD. "I consider that a useless term; it's fear-driven, passive, and unnecessary," Voigt said. "This constant circling around the AfD as a point of reference is destroying us."
Two weeks ago, the CDU executive committee held a closed-door meeting to discuss how to deal with the AfD. Chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz prepared his party for a confrontation with the AfD ahead of the five state elections next year.
Merz said that the AfD, which is strong in the polls, would likely be "our main opponent." He reaffirmed the CDU's incompatibility resolution rejecting any cooperation with the AfD and warned that the far-right party "explicitly wants to destroy" the CDU.
Die welt
