German Politics: For the CDU, it is too late

The German center-right CDU party is described as drifting towards its downfall under the leadership of Friedrich Merz, reminiscent of the inertia of a fictional character from Russian literature. Once a dominant force, the Union is now polling around 20%, while its right-wing competitor, the AfD, is on the verge of surpassing 30%.

The situation is especially bleak in eastern Germany, where the CDU currently holds the position of Minister-President in Saxony-Anhalt. However, with the AfD leading significantly in the polls for the upcoming state elections, the CDU faces a grim prospect: either the AfD takes power, or the incumbent Minister-President must govern with a minority government, potentially relying on support from the Left Party, the successor to the SED.

The article contends that the CDU's current predicament is not solely due to multiple crises or a fragmented party system, but also to its own leadership. For years, the party pursued a strategy of isolating the AfD, without developing a contingency plan should this approach fail. This strategy has now backfired, leaving the CDU with no favorable choices.

Calls from within the party, such as those from former Family Minister Kristina Schröder, to approach the AfD by formulating conditions and engaging with its 'moderates,' are deemed too late. The article suggests that the AfD no longer awaits offers from the CDU, and its moderate wing holds no real power. The prevailing sentiment within the AfD is one of self-reliance, aiming to become so strong that the CDU becomes irrelevant.