Saxony-Anhalt election: Ramelow pushes for Left-CDU cooperation to block AfD

Former Thuringia Minister-President Bodo Ramelow is calling for an alliance between the Left Party and the CDU in Saxony-Anhalt to block the far-right AfD from forming a government. Ramelow, now Vice-President of the Bundestag, believes that preventing harm to Saxony-Anhalt requires parties to transcend ideological divides and engage in constructive dialogue. He specifically urged the CDU to clarify its stance on potential cooperation on specific policy areas, suggesting their current ambiguity is unhelpful. Ramelow pointed to the long-standing cooperation between the Left Party and CDU in Thuringia as a model, necessitated by a political landscape where all major parties reject collaboration with the AfD. The upcoming September 6 election in Saxony-Anhalt sees the AfD significantly ahead in opinion polls, with the Left Party trailing in third place. Adding to the internal party dynamics, Ramelow distanced himself from recent statements by Left Party co-chair Ines Schwerdtner, who suggested nationalizations would be a condition for a coalition in Berlin. Ramelow stated that party leaders should exercise restraint on state-specific issues before elections, finding Schwerdtner's comments on expropriating housing companies unhelpful.