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Woidke Floats AfD Cooperation Only If Party Purges Extremists

His comments come as Brandenburg's AfD is officially labeled extremist by state intelligence, with a planned federal designation paused by a lawsuit.

Overview

  • Brandenburg CDU leader Jan Redmann backed the conditional stance, saying a de‑extremized AfD would be a legitimate partner for cooperation.
  • BSW state chair Friederike Benda welcomed moving past the so‑called brandmauer and urged policymaking based on substance rather than symbolism.
  • Prominent SPD figures including Ralf Stegner and Sebastian Roloff dismissed the scenario as implausible, arguing the AfD would have to expel much of its leadership and membership.
  • AfD leaders René Springer and Hans‑Christoph Berndt rejected the premise, denying extremists are in the party and accusing authorities of politically misusing the Verfassungsschutz.
  • The Brandenburg Verfassungsschutz classifies the AfD as “gesichert rechtsextrem,” while the federal office’s planned designation remains on hold due to an AfD court challenge.