Luc Frieden commented on the German elections
Ansgar Scheffold, Unsplash
Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden praised the results of the recent German elections as a good sign for Germany and Europe. In his speech on the formation of the new German government, Frieden expressed his preference for a two-party coalition, believing that stability is better achieved through the cooperation of large centrist parties than through a three-party alliance.
Frieden emphasised the importance of the Christian Democratic Union's (CDU) course towards "prosperity and security", welcoming the exclusion of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party from coalition talks. He described AfD as a party with "extreme, pro-Russian and anti-European positions", stressing that leadership should come from the political centre, and called the CDU's refusal to cooperate with AfD "the right decision".
Frieden, however, warned against taking AfD voters' views into account, noting that the rise of extremist parties in countries such as Germany, Austria, France and the Netherlands points to underlying social problems. He emphasised that voters' concerns, which are often linked to feelings of injustice and fears of immigration, should be taken seriously.
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel supported Frieden's views, saying a pan-European approach to issues such as migration was needed. In an interview with RTL Radio, Bettel emphasised that extremist parties, including the AfD, the German Left Party (Linke) and Sarah Wagenknecht's alliance (BSW), often use simple answers to complex issues, exploiting public fears.
Marc Spautz, head of the parliamentary group of Luxembourg's Christian Social People's Party (CSV), expressed concern about the strong result of the AfD, which won 20 per cent of the vote. He noted the stark contrast in support for the party between East and West Germany, calling the regional divide striking.
Spautz supported the CDU's results despite the party's failure to break the 30 per cent threshold, which will complicate coalition talks. He called a potential coalition between the CDU and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) a positive step, but warned that significant differences in political platforms could create difficulties in negotiations.
However, Spautz expressed personal dissatisfaction with CDU leader Friedrich Merz's stance on border control and his reliance on AfD votes to pass the migration bill in the German parliament.
The German Left Party (Linke) also made significant gains, which was welcomed by Luxembourg's Left Party (Déi Lénk) MP David Wagner. He emphasised the importance of left-wing voices in the current political climate, especially against right-wing forces.
Wagner expressed joy at the failure of Sarah Wagenknecht's (BSW) alliance to win a seat in the Bundestag. He criticised Wagenknecht for aligning herself with AfD rhetoric, especially on migration issues, arguing that she had only legitimised right-wing radical positions.
