Angret Cramp-Krambauer announced her retirement from the ruling party and the role of defense minister • The reason: the cooperation between her party and the "Alternative to Germany" faction

• Defense Minister Angret Crump-Krambauer // Photo: AP

A little over a year after being elected by the German-Democratic Conservative Party in Germany as Chancellor Angela Merkel's replacement at the party and the Conservative candidate for chancellor in the next election, German defense minister Angret Krump-Krambauer announced her retirement.

The dramatic announcement follows a rally in the party against the principled decision of the Conservative Party leadership to boycott any party with the nationalist-populist right-wing party "Alternative to Germany," which has become a growing political force for the past two years.

Photo: Reuters

The crisis began last week, in the state of Thuringia, where elections were held last October and became an "alternative" to the second largest party in the district parliament. The boycott of most parties, not just the Conservatives, on the "alternative" prevented the establishment of a new provincial government since neither bloc had a majority, and a broad coalition government was impossible.

Merkel's party members refused to sit in the government under the election leader, former prime minister from the radical left, and first began calling for the removal of the "alternative" boycott. This change of attitude toward the "alternative" was met with total opposition from the Christian Democratic Party leadership.

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Despite this opposition, last week the Conservative, Alternative and Liberal delegates unanimously elected the Liberal Party candidate - the smallest faction among the three right-wing parties in Parliament in Thuringia as the new district chief. This coalition immediately provoked outrage in Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was "unforgivable" and called for the cancellation of the new prime minister.

Between the conservative right and the extreme right

Crump-Kernbauer threatened punitive measures against party members who cooperated with the "alternative." In the face of much criticism, elected PM Thomas Camrich announced his resignation and his party submitted an urgent motion to dissolve the district parliament and hold new elections.

Initial collaboration between the right-wing parties - Liberals and Christian Democrats, with the right-wing nationalist "alternative to Germany" has caused a huge upheaval with the German political system and has become a test of leadership for Kram-Carenbauer, whose position in the party has weakened significantly in recent months.

Protesters against "alternative to Germany" // Photo: AP

"Alternative", whose members are also affiliated with the German extreme right and the Nazi, has so far been boycotted by all other parties at the national and provincial levels. However, its historic success in the elections in Thuringia created a situation where a government could not be formed without its cooperation.

In the last general election in Germany, "Alternative" became the third largest party in the Bundestag. The strengthening of the "alternative" and the boycott of the right precludes the possibility of obtaining a non-governmental majority with left-wing parties, a fact that gives rise to a great internal debate among conservatives about changing the attitude towards "alternative".

At this time, it is unclear how the resignation of Cartman Kernebower will affect the continued existence of the unity government in Berlin, in which conservative and social democrats are members.