CDU Bautzen: Power struggle and loss of members endanger the party!

CDU Bautzen: Power struggle and loss of members endanger the party!

The situation surrounding the CDU in the Bautzen district is explosive and shows considerable tensions within the party. How Sächsische.de reports, the Bautzen CDU district association has shown public reluctance and has to face several challenges. In the last state election in 2024, the CDU was only able to win one of five direct mandates in the district, with Marko Schiemann losing his mandate to the AfD candidate Jörg Urban. This defeat is symptomatic of the CDU's ongoing decline, which has lost support compared to the 2019 district elections. The gap to the AfD has increased from 0.3 to 7.5 percent.

But that's not all: the CDU is no longer the strongest faction in the Bautzen district council. The party was also unable to record a victory in the 2025 federal election; Karsten Hilse from the AfD won the direct mandate in the Bautzen I constituency. New in office is Steffen Roschek, who was elected as the new district chairman after his predecessor Roland Ermer resigned. This change does not seem to bring the hoped-for stability, as there is currently a debate about the direction of the party. In May 2024, twelve members formulated massive criticism in a letter addressed to the state executive board and called for a reorientation of the relationship with the AfD.

Internal unrest causes excitement

The unrest in the Saxon CDU is further intensified by statements from prominent members, such as Bild.de reported. There is speculation that some important politicians could consider leaving the party if the conditions do not change. The Bautzen district association has expressed concerns and is calling for a move away from the strict “firewall” towards the AfD in order to avoid these migrations. This is particularly explosive as Saxony suffers from a fragile minority government, which has been formed with the SPD since December and has repeatedly come under criticism.

The discussion about debt policy is another bone of contention within the party. The CDU has clear positions on new debt, while other parties such as the SPD are demanding this. Members of the Bautzen CDU are opposed to easing the debt brake, and these differences of opinion have created a broad basis for internal conflicts. The CDU rejected new state loans at the beginning of the year and therefore sees itself under great pressure.

Criticism of membership development

A look at the membership numbers makes you sit up and take notice: the CDU's decline in membership in the Bautzen district is alarming. While the number rose to 1,065 in March 2020, today it is almost 900. In 2024, 48 members resigned, including the outgoing mayor Gerd Schuster from Neschwitz. This development raises questions about how the CDU base in Bautzen can be revitalized.

The disunity within the parliamentary group is another criterion that limits the CDU's ability to act in the district council. An example of this was the vote to end the federal “Partnerships for Democracy” program, which made the division within the parliamentary group obvious. If the CDU does not quickly agree on a common line, it could continue to lose importance in the political landscape.

Overall, it shows that the challenges facing the CDU in the Bautzen district should not be underestimated. It is important to clarify internal communication and positioning towards the AfD in order to win back the base and achieve a strong presence in political events. The pressure from inside and outside is increasing, and it will be exciting to see whether the party can rise to the challenges. If the direction is towards a more pragmatic approach to the AfD, this could be of crucial importance for the Saxon CDU, as well Tag24.de confirmed.