Crashing taboo break: CDU and FDP celebrate with the AfD in Schorssow!

Crashing taboo break: CDU and FDP celebrate with the AfD in Schorssow!

On July 4, 2025, a summer festival organized by the AfD faction in the Schorssow Seeschloss caused a stir in the political landscape of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The CDU state parliament member Thomas Diener and the FDP politician Sandy van Baal were prominent among the guests, which led to heated discussions within the political ranks. Photos from social networks show Diener posing next to Nikolaus Kramer, chairman of the AfD parliamentary group, which brought sharp criticism from his party and the others present. According to apollo-news.net, this was the first time that members of the CDU and FDP took part in such a festival.

The IDB policy of Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) and her cabinet members has been criticized due to their participation. Julian Barlen, the general secretary of the SPD, spoke of a “breaking of a taboo,” while left-wing politician Michael Noetzel described the politicians present as “stirrup holders of the extreme right.” This gives the debate about the behavior of the classic parties new explosiveness, which raises increasing fears of contact with the AfD.

Politics in transition

The political landscape has changed significantly in recent years. In the state elections on September 1, 2023, the AfD achieved 32.8% of the vote in Thuringia and 30.6% in Saxony. An impressive record that underlines the importance of the party - a fact that cannot be ignored in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The newly founded “Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht” (BSW) was also successful and reflects the trend of new political movements gaining a foothold; In Thuringia the BSW received 15.8% of the vote and in Saxony 11.8%. These shifts are clear; they reflect a deep loss of trust in the classic parties such as the CDU and SPD, which, according to dw.com, must now urgently recognize the need for a rethink.

Daniel Peters, state and parliamentary group leader of the CDU, made it clear that Diener did not take part in the event on behalf of the CDU state parliamentary group, but as district council president. Despite this clarification, the nervousness within the parties is noticeable. Peters admitted that building a “firewall” against the AfD is becoming increasingly difficult in East Germany. This means that political discussions with the AfD are no longer considered nonsense, a position that Sandy van Baal from the FDP also represents. She said that it is part of her democratic self-image to remain in conversation with political opponents, but in the current situation this represents a balancing act.

The challenges for old parties

The current election results make it clear that the traditional popular parties are under enormous pressure. The SPD's share of the vote fell to 25.7% in the last federal election, a significant decline compared to previous times when the party was at 45.8%. Political scientists warn that focusing too much on migration and asylum issues could legitimize the AfD's cause. The popular parties cannot afford this, because their role in representative democracy remains important, even if many citizens have lost trust in them.

The developments from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania clearly show that demarcation from the AfD is becoming increasingly difficult and political actors are faced with the challenge of how to deal with this new reality. The dialogue with the extremists could change the political climate in Germany in the long term and requires the established parties to make a clear commitment to their values ​​and beliefs.