Otte-Knall: AfD provokes the CDU - and both benefit

Created: 01/25/2022, 22:22

By: Andreas Schmid

Value union boss Max Otte with AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla.

The AfD provoked the CDU, which was able to fend off this attack promptly.

In the end there is only one loser, comments Merkur.de political journalist Andreas Schmid.

© Kay Nietfeld/dpa/fkn

The AfD and the head of the Values ​​Union, Max Otte, do things together.

The CDU reacts consistently, the AfD provokes.

A comment.

Berlin - Max Otte is a member of the CDU and head of the arch-conservative Union of Values.

Now the AfD has proposed him for the office of Federal President - and thus caused a bang in the CDU.

Max Otte: The CDU decides promptly - Merz wins

The CDU leadership unanimously decided on a party committee procedure for Otte on Tuesday evening.

General Secretary Paul Ziemiak spoke of a "considerable violation of the principles and order of the party" and an "urgent and serious case of behavior seriously damaging to the party".

This step is only logical.

The Union supports a second term in office for Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the election for the Federal President on February 13.

In addition - and this is the much more explosive point - according to the party statutes, any cooperation with the AfD is prohibited.

As a result, the CDU had no other choice if it was serious about the clear demarcation from the AfD.

The new party leader Friedrich Merz can benefit from this quick decision.

He shows that he can be the strong man and clearer in the CDU.

The AfD relies on provocation - Chrupalla wins

Otte's nomination may only have a symbolic character, as Steinmeier will be confirmed in office anyway.

But it also shows that the AfD is once again opting for a provocative rather than solution-oriented policy.

As early as 2020, the AfD caused a stir by supporting a politician outside of its own ranks.

In Thuringia, the FDP politician Thomas Kemmerich was elected prime minister with votes from the AfD.

The Free State of Thuringia slipped into a government crisis.

Kemmerich had to resign.

Otte, who has so far been able to prevent a party committee, now meets the same fate.

The AfD, in turn, has achieved its goal: the provocation - internally and externally.

For the AfD, the Otte nomination is also about internal party friction.

As

reports, it was party leader Tino Chrupalla in particular who proposed Otte to the federal executive board - against the will of (still) co-boss Jörg Meuthen.

In turn, he clearly criticized the nomination.

Otte is "by no means in the middle of the AfD with his positions." Meuthen's influence, which Otte had publicly criticized in the past, is apparently continuing to dwindle.

He no longer wants to compete at the next party conference.

Chrupalla will use the Causa Otte to make a name for himself within the party.

Max Otte: A man in the wrong party?

And Otte?

He met the AfD faction leaders on Monday - and once again underlined his closeness to the AfD.

The CDU member has been close to the Alternative for Germany for years.

In 2017, Otte announced that he would vote for the AfD in the federal elections because of the chancellor's refugee policy.

From 2018 to 2021, Otte was chairman of the AfD-affiliated Desiderius Erasmus Foundation.

The 57-year-old has already made some controversial statements and actions that contradict the basic ideas of the Christian Democrats.

Most recently, he insulted Angela Merkel.

The fact that he has now been nominated by the AfD can therefore be seen as the next clear provocation towards the CDU.

A provocation that moves Otte from being a marginal political figure into the spotlight - and yet remains a loser.