CSU party conference: Söder calls for a fight against the AfD and the Left

At the start of the CSU party conference, party leader Söder takes on the Left and the AfD. And he points out the seriousness of the situation for the Union. But he got the most applause for something else. By A

By Tagesschau 23 Oct 2026 · 6d ago 3 min read

Deutsch (original) ·Auto-translated to English

CSU party conference “If we are honest, we are in the middle of a hurricane” As of: October 23rd, 2026 • 8:10 p.m

CSU boss Markus Söder doesn't beat around it. Before his speech, images of burning Paris are shown in the background and of the left partying in Berlin. “If we are honest, we are in the middle of a hurricane,” says Söder, meaning: the wind from the right and from the left.

The CSU boss is initially working on the left who want to govern in the Red City Hall in Berlin. "This is an evil, radical left that is deeply anti-Semitic, that is rooted in RAF aid associations, that calls for expropriations. Honecker 2.0."

The CSU party conference begins today. As CSU leader, Markus Söder shapes the coalition, while as Prime Minister he criticizes it at the same time. more

Söder repeats his demand, which constitutional lawyers view critically: if necessary, to cut off the money from the state financial equalization system from the federal states. “No money for extremists,” emphasized Söder. This also means the AfD in Saxony-Anhalt.

“For the AfD, we are the main enemy,” emphasizes Söder. "They want to replace us, they want to shake and destroy us at our core." In Bavaria, the AfD is now at 21 percent in surveys.

At the Junge Union's "Germany Day" CSU leader Söder sharply criticized the left-wing spectrum. more

Söder believes a ban on the AfD is the wrong approach. That would strengthen the AfD's martyr status. Instead, you have to watch the people's mouths and do the work, said Söder, referring to the federal government. “If a centrist democratic government fails again within two years, what should one actually say to the AfD?” That's why the following now applies: "Pull yourself together, do the work and achieve success!"

The CSU boss appeals to the delegates for solidarity. He is also not without faults and has accepted criticism of himself and his demeanor. Times are harder than some believe. "It's not just about the personal aspects of each and every one of us. What stands above us: country, party, the idea of our society is much, much more important than our individual careers."

CSU leader Söder supports the candidacy of his party colleague Aigner for the 2027 federal presidential election. more

In the discussion about the successor to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Söder again brings up Ilse Aigner. "The decision will be made somewhere else. But I would be happy if Ilse Aigner became Federal President. Good luck with that!" The hall responds with thunderous applause.

By “somewhere else” Söder means the CDU, which has not yet taken a position on the issue. On the contrary, there have recently been reports that the sister party does not want to be pushed by Bavaria. On Saturday, CDU leader Friedrich Merz will be a guest at the CSU party conference. However, it is unlikely that he will give a name.

Originally published byTagesschau

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