The co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, said his party is open for coalition negotiations with the conservative CDU/CSU bloc after Sunday’s parliamentary election.
Speaking after the party achieved its best-ever result in a national election with around 20% of the vote according to initial projections, Chrupalla said the “10 million to 12 million AfD voters cannot be marginalized and excluded” from the next government.
Mainstream leaders including CDU/CSU chief Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor, have shunned cooperation with the far-right party.
But Chrupalla said the party’s “hand is outstretched, and if Friedrich Merz wants to implement his election promises, he will only be able to do so with the AfD.”
He warned that a coalition with the “losers” would likely lead to another early parliamentary election.
Alice Weidel, Alternative for Germany (AfD) federal chairwoman and candidate for chancellor, and Tino Chrupalla, federal Chairman, stand on stage at the AfD election party, after the forecast of the German federal election for the 21st Bundestag. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa
