Discontent is growing within Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) following the party’s abandonment of strict debt control policies. A wave of criticism has led to mass resignations, particularly at the regional level.
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann confirmed that the party is experiencing an increased outflow of members but did not provide exact figures. According to BILD, dozens of members have left the party in Saxony-Anhalt and Hesse. In Hamburg, at least five members resigned, while in Baden-Württemberg, even former regional chairman Daniel Hakenjos stepped down.
The new CDU leader in Baden-Württemberg, Bastian Atzger, expressed disappointment: “We had hoped the party would move away from left-green state regulation towards a market economy.” In Thuringia, local CDU leader Steffen Peske also reported member resignations and ongoing discussions about the party’s future.
Internal party chats are filled with criticism. The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff, called for calm, stating that governing requires compromises. However, CDU members fear that the crisis could be exacerbated by ineffective migration policies, further eroding voter support.
