Overview

• Jens Spahn, CDU parliamentary leader, insists on treating the AfD like any other opposition party under Bundestag rules to avoid victimization narratives.
• SPD, Greens, and Die Linke strongly oppose granting the AfD procedural rights, citing the party's radicalization and misuse of institutions.
• CDU figures like Johann Wadephul and Mario Voigt propose conditional inclusion of AfD members in committee roles but emphasize no collaboration with the party.
• Thuringian Prime Minister Mario Voigt urges political confrontation with the AfD rather than procedural isolation, aligning with parliamentary rules.
• The debate underscores deep divisions within the CDU and broader tensions over democratic norms and the AfD's growing influence as the Bundestag's second-largest faction.