Handelsblatt, one of Germany’s leading business newspapers, recently surveyed business leaders and readers on their views regarding a potential AfD-CDU coalition.
The discussion gained momentum after Christian Reber, a prominent start-up entrepreneur, publicly urged the CDU to consider a coalition with the AfD “under certain conditions.”
“Be open to a coalition with the AfD, provided that no explicitly right-wing extremist party member holds political responsibility,” Reber wrote in a post to CDU leader Friedrich Merz on X (formerly Twitter) two weeks ago. Reber further emphasized the need for a “German, citizen-oriented, and European policy” through cooperation with the AfD.
Reber, who sold his online start-up Wunderlist to Microsoft for a significant sum in 2015, sparked wider debate among German entrepreneurs and political observers.
Christian Miele, a member of the renowned Gütersloh-based Miele family and former chairman of a business start-up association, also criticized the CDU’s “firewall” against the AfD.
“The AfD is my opponent and must not be allowed to assume government responsibility,” Miele told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. He added that he strongly opposes the party but believes the phenomenon warrants more open discussion.
Miele warned of another “four years of lazy compromises” if the status quo persists, suggesting that the AfD could emerge as Germany’s leading party in the 2029 elections.
Frank Thelen, an investor widely recognized from the TV start-up show Die Höhle der Löwen, echoed these concerns, stating, “Nobody wants a strong AfD, but at the moment, the electorate may leave us no choice but to bring their democratic voices together in a functioning government.”
Readers weigh in: Mixed reactions to an AfD-CDU coalition
Handelsblatt readers offered a range of opinions on the matter, with many voicing cautious support for collaboration.
One reader remarked that the AfD is a “democratically elected party” and that ignoring the will of approximately 20% of German voters is inherently undemocratic. Another commented, “In a democracy, the voice of the citizens must be heard. Democracy must withstand different currents.”
“The CDU’s firewall against the AfD defeats the purpose of democracy,” a reader asserted, summarizing a sentiment shared by others.
Some readers suggested that an AfD-CDU coalition could serve as a litmus test. “A coalition in Brandenburg would have shown whether fears about the AfD as a governing partner were justified or unfounded,” noted one commentator.
However, others expressed strong opposition. Referring to Germany’s history, one reader warned against collaboration with a party that “sympathizes with the dictatorships of this world.” Another dismissed the idea on principle, stating that a coalition with an “unpredictable party” like the AfD would be “a risky balancing act,” particularly in the wake of uncertainty caused by the current traffic light coalition.
