German federal chancellor Friedrich Merz (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) has publicly dashed hopes of many CDU conservatives for a premature end of his current government coalition in favour of a CDU minority administration.
In a one-hour interview on state TV station ARD yesterday,, Merz said CDU and its coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), could only survive together, adding: “I tell this to all our sympathisers: Forget any hope that we could form a minority government, tolerated by [right-wing opposition party Alternative for Germany] AfD. This will not happen with me.”
Instead, Merz implored the SPD to stand by the coalition agreement with his CDU party: “I am saying this to SPD: There is no left-wing majority in Germany. We both are parties of the centre who found together. We found together in the form of a coalition agreement and made a pact to bring the country back on track. And I want to stand by that pact.”
His’ remarks followed allegations German media that – in light of ever worsening voter surveys – an increasing number of CDU members were eying the option of leaving the coalition with SPD in favour of a minority government.
This would free the CDU conservatives from having to dance to the tune of their junior partner. Currently, the SPD is Merz’s only option for a majority in parliament as he has vowed to stand by the CDU’s resolution to shun any co-operation with AfD, the notorious cordon sanitaire.
AfD party leader Alice Weidel said in reaction to Merz’ remarks that the Chancellor “was publicly proving that under his stewardship CDU has entered a political fight for survival”, calling Merz’s interview “a confession of his government’s failure”.
Political blog Tichys Einblick wrote that Merz had lost all authority: “On state TV the Chancellor urges a willingness to compromise from the SPD but at the same time demonstrates that he has not leverage with which to demand it.”
Latest polls see the CDU trailing AfD by four to five percentage points. An INSA survey from May 2 puts AfD at 28 per cent and CDU at 24 per cent, while the latest poll by Forsa sees AfD first with 27 per cent and CDU second with 22 per cent.
Merz himself recently scored dead last in popularity among Germany’s 20 leading politicians.
On social media, once faithful supporters are voicing their disappointment with the Chancellor who took leadership of the CDU with the promise to reform Germany but has so far overseen little but rocketing public debt and a stagnating economy.
Nonetheless, Merz is set to remain in power until the next elections in 2029. The only viable way to topple the Chancellor is a so-called constructive vote of no confidence. This would require a majority in parliament.
Even if the cordon sanitaire was torn down, CDU and AfD only have a thin majority – meaning that a just a few defectors could jeopardise the process.
