Saxony-Anhalt CDU adopts 2026 election platform, Schulze rules out coalitions with AfD or Left

Schulze drew clear lines on potential governing partners. "In meiner Regierung wird es keine Ministerin der Linkspartei und keinen Minister der AfD geben," he said, adding separately that a joint government with either party is, in his view, ruled out. He has repeatedly and clearly positioned himself against the AfD and Die Linke. The remarks amount to an attempt to consolidate the CDU's profile ahead of a campaign in which the AfD has been leading in the polls.

Migration, economy and an administrative reform

Migration and the economy dominated the speech. Schulze argued for strict rules in migration policy, saying he wanted to stop illegal migration into the social systems while remaining open to talking about labour migration. He also argued that those who receive a state benefit must give something back: "dass jemand, der eine Leistung vom Staat bekommt, auch eine Gegenleistung bieten muss." On the economy, Schulze framed his broader programme around an administrative reform. "Wir müssen schlanker werden, effektiver, schneller werden," he said.

Internal security features prominently in the platform. Schulze announced plans to raise the size of the state police force to more than 8,000 personnel. The CDU also plans a pharmaceutical summit in the coming weeks, an initiative Schulze tied to the party's economic and health-policy agenda.

Security and education in the platform

Education is another pillar of the programme. The CDU plans to introduce so-called Praxislerntage to connect schools more closely with companies. It also wants more economics teaching at Gymnasien, with the platform stating that "außerdem soll an Gymnasien mehr Wirtschaft gelehrt werden." Together with the migration and security strands, the education proposals complete a platform that the CDU is explicitly billing as a combined economy-and-security offer to voters.

Schulze acknowledged that his party faces a difficult starting position. Recent Infratest Dimap polling for MDR, Mitteldeutsche Zeitung and Volksstimme put the AfD at 41 percent and the CDU at 26 percent. "Wenn wir uns mal aktuell die Umfragen anschauen, dann stehen wir nicht gut da. Nicht da, wo wir uns selber sehen, nicht da, wo wir stehen müssen, damit es auch hier im Land positiv weitergeht," he told delegates, conceding that the CDU is not where it needs to be. His stated aim is nonetheless to remain Minister-President after the 6 September election.

Outlook for the September vote

The congress marked a moment of internal unity: the unanimous vote, the standing ovations implied by the reporting, and the consolidated policy lines all point to a party seeking to present itself as cohesive and ready for a contest it knows will be tough. The article was authored by Jochen Müller and Linus-Benedikt Zosel of MDR, together with dpa.

With the programme adopted and Schulze installed as lead candidate, the CDU's campaign now turns to the roughly twelve weeks before polling day on 6 September. The central question for voters is whether the platform's combination of migration restrictions, security expansion, administrative reform and a closer school-to-work pipeline can close what the latest polling shows as a 15-point gap behind the AfD.