Resistance to Bressel: FDP threatens break over AfD rapprochement!

Resistance to Bressel: FDP threatens break over AfD rapprochement!

The political landscape in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is currently gripped by an intensive debate about the possible cooperation between the FDP and the AfD. The trigger for this discussion is Paul Bressel, the Schwerin FDP district chairman, who dared to question the so-called “firewall” of the AfD. Bressel sees this measure as a strategic necessity to secure the political future of the FDP and believes that there is an overlap of 60 to 80 percent between his party and the AfD. In his argument, he emphasizes that his statements reflect his “personal opinion” and calls for this debate to be conducted openly in order to position the FDP as a visible and effective force. Nevertheless, resistance to his move is emerging, especially from the Young Liberals and the Liberal Women of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Ines Greil, the leader of the Liberal Women, firmly rejects Bressel's proposal and calls for clear adherence to principles. Barbara Becker Hornickel is also more critical of the AfD's image of women. Dr. Anja Klauk brings up another important aspect: she calls for transparency and open debates at party conferences. The tailwind from the Young Liberals is also unmistakable, because their district chairman Johann Breustedt sees a possible coalition with the AfD as a clear breach of liberal principles. This led to two board members of the Young Liberals even resigning, and they were also calling for a district party conference to clarify the FDP's position.

The firewall as a strategic approach

The concept of the “firewall against the right” is being established in Germany as a strategic approach to prevent support for right-wing extremist parties such as the AfD. The aim is to prevent mainstream parties from showing solidarity with anti-democratic elements or showing any rapprochement with right-wing extremist ideologies. The motto “We are the firewall!” is integrated into the political discourse as a key message. In the 2024 anti-extremism protests, in which hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets, it became clear that maintaining this firewall is seen as necessary. Historical comparisons to Nazi Germany were drawn and with the slogan “Never again is now!” placed in the room. Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned against history repeating itself again.

But the discussion about how to deal with right-wing extremist parties is complex. Scientific studies show that the adoption of AfD issues by mainstream parties does not reduce their influence, but rather legitimizes them. In this context, the CDU in particular has brought its stance towards the AfD into greater focus, while the FDP reiterated its clear rejection of dealing with the AfD in 2020. Liberals in no way want xenophobic and anti-democratic rhetoric to be normalized, but the question is how the firewall can actually be maintained or perhaps rebuilt.

Political isolation for Bressel

Despite his advances, Bressel finds himself increasingly isolated. The state executive board of the FDP Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has clearly positioned itself against his line and both the youth association and the women's organization do not agree with him. Current surveys show that the FDP only gets three to four percent of the vote in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which further underlines the party's critical situation. The parliamentary group losses in the state parliament have significantly reduced the FDP's political clout, which raises questions about future strategy. It remains exciting to see how this dispute will develop and what consequences this could have for the political landscape in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

In summary, it can be said that resistance to Paul Bressel's move to question the AfD's firewall is growing significantly. An internal struggle for clear positions and principles is essential in the FDP, especially in order to strengthen trust in the party's liberal values. In this tense situation, the Liberals still have a lot to clarify in order to avoid sinking into political insignificance.

For further information about the firewall against the right in Germany and the current political developments in the FDP, we recommend checking out the reporting on Schwerin.news, Wikipedia and bpb.de to view.