German Election Campaign Intensifies With Controversy and Strategic Shifts
As Germany approaches the 2025 Bundestagswahl, major political figures and parties grapple with divisive issues, shifting alliances, and public scrutiny.
- Alice Weidel, AfD's chancellor candidate, faces criticism for contradictions in her public and private life, highlighted in a ZDF documentary questioning her authenticity.
- Robert Habeck of the Greens insists on phasing out combustion engines as a condition for coalition participation, emphasizing climate policy as a non-negotiable priority.
- The CDU's Friedrich Merz faces backlash over perceived softening of the party's 'Brandmauer' against the AfD, following controversial legislative alignments.
- The AfD is embroiled in legal disputes over fake election posters and scrutiny of a significant donation from Austria, raising questions about transparency and accountability.
- Polling ahead of the February 23 election shows the Union leading, while no two-party coalition appears likely to secure a majority, leaving smaller parties pivotal in government formation.