CDU vote/ CSU with AfD: Is the historic taboo breaking up in Germany?

conservative CDU parties/ CSU imposed on Bundestag (29.01). That was a week after the stab murder in Aschafenburg of a two-year-old child and a man from a nursing home who must have been deported.

The move is criticised as a historic taboo breach: CDU/ CSU went into an unbacked vote by the centre-left and left parties, but backed by AfD, the party with extreme right-hand parts. CDU/ The CSU took that into account and split, according to critics, the Sanitary cordon, the refusal of a common cause with the AfD.

That a more severe or more effective migration policy is needed in Germany, nearly everyone agrees. Even Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholzzyngiti in Bundestag that the latest assassinations in Germany should have been prevented. Not with the support taken into account even from the AfD.

Merz ventures into danger and causes revolt

But the chairman of the CDU, Friedrich Merrzagu, argued that <x0 correct content does not become wrong because they vote wrong for”. The same argument he used for the law on limiting migration for the vote Friday (31.01). It envisions, among other things, the end of the family union for persons in Germany who are not given asylum but are allowed to stay in Germany for the time being, for other reasons.

Protests by leftist parties, by political and cultural personalities, by thousands of demonstrators in various cities in Germany are massive. Over 6,000 people protested the CDU building in Berlin on Thursday (30.01). Over 6500 people were in Frankfurt on Main. Over 5,000 people protested in Leipzig. Many other protests against a co-operation with AfD have been announced in Kiln, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Münster etc.

In a letter, Protestant and Catholic churches complain that it now gives way to the denigration of all migrants. A Holocaust survivor said he would hand over the Federal Merit Cross as a protest.

Former Chancellor Angela Merkel, in one of her rare statements, was tough on her party, the CDU, which has changed. It called the wrong “” CDU admission, for the first time in a majority, with AfD votes.

What does CDU/ CSU?

In a five-point plan, conservatives require the refusal of all undocumented immigrants to the German border. So in the future, asylum demand will no longer be enough to enter Germany. Permanent border controls are required. And arrest for refugees to be deported to exile.

The motion on Wednesday (29.01). It was approved by three votes -- pro voted 348 deputies: 187 from the CDU/ CSU, 80 by FDP and 75 by AfD. 345 voted against.

After that, the AfD went on triumphant terms. AfD MP Bernd Baumann stated that “is a historic moment. A new era begins, and the AfD is its flag player”.

Although this AfD reaction was expected after the vote, an unpleasant situation arose in Bundestag. The CDU leader and Germany's top contender for Chancellor Friedrich Merz took to the podium and said he regrets the vote, but the left should have shown responsibility in the vote.

Similarly, Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz had accused Merzin of making “an unforgivable error”. Scholz recalled the measures violate Germany's constitution and European laws.

Tabuia and Political Culture

Bundestag's decision has symbolic powers. He does not legally force the German government for anything.

But in the election campaign ahead of the 23 February parliamentary elections, the debate of “political culture” in Germany has opened. What will be considered allowed for modern Germany with its Nazi past over 80 years ago?

We're dealing with a taboo breach. Marking, most likely, a turning point in the election campaign for parliamentary elections. A CDU member quoted by the media said elections were set this week. I just don't know which direction. ”

What accounts for this? The motion of Friedrich Merz, chairman of the CDU, affects two central themes for Germany: first asylum and migration policy. Which has become the lead after murders by foreigners last year.

Second, it affects the fundamental principle of Germany's democratic identity: failure to co-operate with the right extreme.

CDU/ The CSU did not co-operate in voting with the AfD, the motion text calls the AfD expressly opposed. Disco-operation with AfD, CDU/ CSU has declared it yet. But the fact that CDU/ CSU knew it could only win with the support of the AFD and accepted that, goes for many away.

Election Decision Decision: Most Silent

Did it damage itself and the chances of coming to power with this CDU motion CSU?

This will depend on the circumstances, how far they can argue on CDU/ CSU and those who consider the decision right. The newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote on Friday that municipalities suffering from the large number of migrants must say their word now.

But success or failure of CDU/ The CSU will ultimately depend on what a part of people really think, which (still) are not publicly expressed. The current AfD strengthening, the fact that the AfD is second in the polls, comes from somewhere.

There are 57% of Germans who consider it right, that people without documents are denied access to Germany as a principle, according to ARD-Deutschlandtreend.

Protests these days of thousands show Germany has a living and active democracy. At the same time, the massive historical demonstrations of a year ago against the AfD's plans for <x0migration” did not hurt during the AfD.

Dangers for CDU, chances for leftist parties

Forecasts of these elections remain difficult. Merz's move is associated with risks for the CDU. He could add CDU/ CSU, responding to the concern of many Germans in the face of crime and assassination.

But he suddenly offers revand and left opportunity. Chancellor Scholz seized the moment in Bundestag and Merzi suddenly appeared in a defensive position. Merz “you can no longer believe, will you cooperate with AfD at”, Chancellor Olaf Schelz said. Even 54% of Germans suspect Merzi will retain the guarantee of non-co-operation with AfD (according to RTL/ntv “Trendbarometer”)

The SPD, the Greens, the left-hand overall, opens up the odds. The chances of successfully presenting conservatives as disruptors of the basic consensus of German Democrats: no co-operation with the right extreme.

CDU/ CSU lost after voting a point and currently reaches 29%. The SPD won a point, reaches 17%; The AfD remains at 22%; the Jellys reach 13%, FDP 4% (sonage of the Insa Institute, 30.01).

Polls: voters split

Despite sensational protests: nearly half of respondents questioned in the current RTL/ntv Trendbarometer survey call it right that CDU/ The CSU imposed the AfD vote on migration. In other words: 46 percent support that CDU/ CSU knowingly accepted AfD's support when voting in Bundestag its motion for immigration policy. Fifty percent, on the other hand, feel that this was wrong.

This shows that only on election day will the real position of voters be known.

Before the vote in Bundestag, both Chancellor Scholz's SPD and CDU/ CSU suffered decline in polls. And the AfD had growth of four percent.

The CDU says it does not want circumstances like in Austria, where the ultra-rights are forming the government. Unionist parties are interested in weakening support for the AfD. It is expected that they will succeed. /DW/