In the aftermath of a closed-door session of the CDU executive board held in Heidelberg, party leader Friedrich Merz announced a significant decision regarding the party’s relationship with the Values Union (WU). Merz revealed that the matter would be subjected to a party conference vote scheduled for April.
Emphasizing the CDU’s renewed commitment to conservatism, Merz categorically ruled out any potential collaboration with the AfD. Additionally, he made it clear that the Values Union, led by CDU member and former President for the Protection of the Constitution Hans-Georg Maaßen, is also excluded from future alliances, the German press reported.
Maaßen plans to transform the party-affiliated organization into a political party, with the initial steps to be taken next Saturday. If successful, Merz expressed his intention to seek an incompatibility resolution with the Union of Values at the upcoming party conference.
The recent developments stem from the involvement of two CDU members associated with the Values Union, Simone Baum and Michaela Schneider, who were invited to a meeting in Potsdam. This gathering, attended by entrepreneurs, AfD politicians, CDU members, and right-wing conservative intellectuals in November, addressed topics such as the “remigration” of foreigners. The event has since been controversially labeled as “right-wing extremist” by the media and some politicians.
According to investigative journalism outlet “Correctiv,” the presence of Baum and Schneider at the Potsdam meeting has fueled concerns about the Values Union’s role as a mediator between the CDU and AfD. CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann expressed dismay at the revelations from the meeting, asserting that discussions allegedly included “deportations of German citizens,” a claim vehemently denied by participants.
While uncertainties linger regarding the actual attendance of the two women in Potsdam, Linnemann unequivocally declared, “There is no place for such ideas in our party,” promising a thorough examination of the consequences and decisive actions.
Already, the left-wing faction of the party, organized within the workers’ organization CDA, has declared incompatibility with the Values Union. CDA deputy chairman and CDU MEP Dennis Radtke called on the CDU to follow suit, citing the critical state of liberal democracy in various European regions. Radtke urged political and societal elites to make clear differentiations, emphasizing the need for such distinctions in both economic and social spheres.