The upcoming state elections in East Germany are proving to be challenging for the CDU, as coalition formation is becoming increasingly difficult. Prior to the weekend, Prime Minister Daniel Günther of Schleswig-Holstein called for greater openness in collaboration with the Left Party. However, Karin Prien, CDU federal vice-president and Minister of Education in Schleswig-Holstein, maintained her opposition to cooperation with the Left Party and AfD. Despite this, she suggested that working with the Sahra Wagenknecht alliance (BSW) could be an option after the three East German state elections, depending on the individuals and political goals involved.
However, Prien emphasized that collaboration at the federal level is currently unlikely due to the CDU’s “incompatibility decision,” which rules out any collaboration with these parties. Meanwhile, Thuringia’s Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow was identified as a non-threat to democracy by Günther despite being from the Left Party. The CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann referred to the party’s decision in 2018 to reject coalitions or similar cooperation with both the Left Party and AfD. With state parliaments set to be elected in September in Brandenburg, Thuringia, and Saxony, coalition formation and government remain uncertain. In Thuringia where AfD leads in polls followed by CDU and BSW, forming a majority and government post-election is becoming increasingly complex.
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