Merz Rules Out Any Cooperation With the Far-Right AfD at CSU Meeting

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Saturday, October 24, once again confirmed his opposition to any changes to the "firewall" policy aimed at isolating the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), speaking at a meeting of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the sister party of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU), European Pravda reported, citing Reuters.

The report says that a number of calls have recently been heard within his party to try to find ways of cooperation. Merz said: "Whoever thinks they must vote for these people has no place in our Union. They have no place among us."

What came before

Earlier, CDU politician Guido Hoyer reportedly planned to go against his party's position and take part in the vote to elect the minister-president of the state of Saxony-Anhalt. In the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on September 6, the AfD won a historic victory, though without the absolute majority it had hoped for.

More on German politics in our Politics section.