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Max Otte
Photo: Bernd Elmenthaler / imago images/Bernd Elmenthaler
Max Otte is resigning from his position as Chairman of the Value Union.
"Out of respect for the office of the Federal President and his dignity, I will leave my office as Chairman of the Values Union and all other party-political activities until after the election of the Federal Assembly on February 13," he said.
The CDU leadership had withdrawn the 57-year-old's membership rights with immediate effect on Tuesday as a consequence of his candidacy for the AfD.
A procedure to exclude Otte from the party was also initiated.
Otte informed the dpa news agency that he had taken note of the decision of the CDU board.
He made an offer to his party: "Should the CDU nominate another candidate for the office of Federal President who is actively committed to overcoming the division in the country, I will withdraw my candidacy."
However, the CDU has decided not to nominate its own candidate, but to support incumbent Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Federal Assembly.
Otte announced that during the period in which he was resting his official duties, these would be taken care of by the deputy chairmen of the Value Union.
Immediately after the election of the Federal President, the board of the association will discuss how to proceed.
Otte has been said to be close to the AfD for years.
In 2017 he told the “Wirtschaftswoche” that he would vote for the AfD in the federal elections.
Until January 2021, Otte was also chairman of the board of trustees of the AfD-affiliated Desiderius Erasmus Foundation.
Otte has practically no chance of becoming President.
His list is purely symbolic: the AfD only has 152 of 1472 seats in the Federal Assembly.
Steinmeier's candidacy is supported not only by the Union but also by the SPD, Greens and FDP
as/dpa
