Schulze rules out deals CDU keeps independent votes

Sep 6

In the complete live exchange from Freyburg, Preiß asks Sven Schulze how constructive CDU opposition differs from case-by-case support for an AfD government. Schulze says the CDU will decide its own positions at each sitting and rejects direct cooperation, government participation or coordinated lawmaking with the AfD or BSW. He nevertheless claims those two parties want to form a government, even if they do not admit it openly. He says every CDU member has given oral and written assurances against defections, describes the unexpected election result and difficulty of moving into opposition after twenty-four years in government, and defends the group's unity despite two camps in its leadership election. He says the AfD lacks its own majority and would depend on the five BSW members and Sahra Wagenknecht. Repeatedly challenged on the CDU incompatibility resolutions and the federal coalition's position, he distinguishes independent judgments and votes from agreements with AfD or BSW. No new coalition, investiture result, actual defection or commitment to vote for Siegmund is announced.

The AfD wins Saxony-Anhalt's September 6 election but falls short of an outright parliamentary majority, taking 39 of 83 seats when 42 are required. ARD's October 4 retrospective gives fifteen CDU seats and five BSW seats and explains that the AfD needs support from other parties. The report describes pressure on Siegmund to govern despite missing his original majority goal. Schulze's interview adds his account of an unexpected CDU defeat, internal reorganization and the difficulty of moving into opposition after twenty-four years in government. A winner's seat lead does not establish an elected premier or agreed coalition. ZDF's September 7 broadcast in show 366 reports the same preceding-day result, says the CDU vote was more than halved and gives its share as 17.4 percent and BSW's as 5.3 percent. Merz calls the defeat the CDU's worst in decades and claims full federal campaign support. Schulze discusses federal-policy pressure, tactical second votes and previous non-voters; Höhne instead describes distance from Merz and a late leadership transition as campaign problems. These figures and differing explanations remain attributed, alongside ARD's later seat arithmetic and Schulze interview; no government formation is established.