Merz Warns Against AfD Cooperation, Draws Historical Parallel to Nazi Party
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out CDU cooperation with the Alternative for Germany party, comparing such collaboration to failed attempts to contain the Nazis in 1933.
Speaking at a CDU commemorative event marking the Neheim-Hüsten Program—adopted on March 1, 1946, by the party’s zonal committee in the British occupation zone—Merz invoked the origins of his party in the aftermath of National Socialism, according to Nius.
The Chancellor reminded his audience that the CDU emerged as a lesson from the darkest hours of German history. He then turned his attention to contemporary politics, warning against what he characterized as a naive belief that extremists could be controlled through coalition participation. Merz argued this strategy had proven catastrophically wrong in the past, referencing the conservative establishment’s failed attempt to contain the National Socialists through government inclusion in 1933.
Hard Line Against AfD Cooperation
Merz delivered an unequivocal message regarding the Alternative for Germany. He stated that political extremists on both the left and right seek to reverse the foundational decisions made by Konrad Adenauer and challenge the core principles of the Federal Republic. For this reason, cooperation with the party that calls itself Alternative for Germany remains impossible for the CDU.
The Chancellor emphasized that his party had overcome German nationalism under Adenauer’s leadership and has no intention of returning to that path. His remarks positioned the AfD as part of what he described as extremist forces threatening Germany’s democratic settlement.
Historical Framing Under Scrutiny
Sven-Felix Kellerhoff, history editor at Die Welt, characterized Merz’s speech as a historical parallelization rather than a direct equation between the AfD and the NSDAP. The comparison draws on the specific lesson that bourgeois and conservative forces in 1933 believed they could contain Hitler through governmental participation—a calculation that backfired completely.
The speech comes amid ongoing debates within German conservative circles about how to address the growing electoral strength of the AfD, particularly in eastern German states where the party has achieved significant support. Merz’s firm rejection of any collaboration represents a continuation of the CDU’s official firewall policy against the AfD.
Critics of such comparisons argue they trivialize genuine historical threats while failing to address the substantive policy concerns driving voters toward opposition parties. The Chancellor’s invocation of Weimar-era warnings reflects the heightened rhetorical stakes in German politics as traditional party alignments face unprecedented pressure.
With information from Nius
