Former German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has firmly rejected media interpretations suggesting he supports softening the Christian Democratic Union's so-called "firewall" against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). The CSU politician told Deutsche Presse-Agentur in Berlin that contrary to some reports, he has never advocated for weakening the party's official stance toward the AfD.
"Contrary to some false representations, I have at no point advocated for a softening of the so-called firewall toward the AfD," Guttenberg stated. "On the contrary. In my 'Stern' interview last week, I explicitly spoke in favor of maintaining the incompatibility resolution toward the AfD." The clarification comes after several media outlets, including dpa, interpreted his recent comments as signaling a potential shift in the Union's approach to the rising far-right party.
In his original interview with Stern magazine, Guttenberg had emphasized the need for "substantive confrontation" with the AfD, questioning why established parties seemed hesitant to engage in political debate. "What are we afraid of?" he asked, suggesting that merely boycotting the party wouldn't effectively diminish its appeal to voters. However, he now insists these comments were misinterpreted as endorsing a change in the Union's official policy.
The former minister reinforced his position that no mainstream party should be electable if it flirts with coalition partners who tolerate neo-Nazis, extremists and enemies of the constitution within their ranks. "As long as the AfD provides a home for such people, this incompatibility resolution must remain in place," Guttenberg asserted, referring to the CDU/CSU's formal policy prohibiting cooperation with both the AfD and Left Party at any political level.
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