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Merz Rejects AfD Cooperation as Polls Keep Rising

8/23/2026

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Story summary
  • Chancellor Friedrich Merz rejects any cooperation with the AfD and rejects the term “political firewall”.
  • The CDU, SPD and Greens maintain formal bans on any AfD coalition.
  • AfD poll ratings continue to rise despite the political firewall.
  • In January 2025 the CDU passed an asylum motion with AfD votes breaching its firewall.
  • Sahra Wagenknecht says she would back an AfD-led Saxony-Anhalt government after the September 6 vote.