A CDU local politician from Stendal has donated $10,000 to the AfD, expressing hopes for their electoral dominance and criticizing his own party’s leadership and direction.

Bernd Prange, a long-serving CDU politician and local mayor in Stendal, has made headlines after donating $10,000 to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The donation, split into two payments of $5,000, was publicly disclosed in a letter addressed to his CDU state association. Prange, who has been a CDU member since 1992, stated that his decision was driven by deep concerns about the party’s trajectory and leadership.

In his letter, Prange criticized CDU leaders, including Friedrich Merz and Saxony-Anhalt’s Minister-President Sven Schulze, accusing them of steering the party away from its conservative roots and aligning with left-leaning forces. He expressed hope that the AfD would achieve an absolute majority in the upcoming state elections, arguing that such a result could force the CDU to reevaluate its policies and leadership. Prange also highlighted his belief that cooperation with the AfD at the local level had proven effective and pragmatic.

Prange’s actions and statements have sparked controversy within the CDU, as they challenge the party’s longstanding stance of maintaining a strict separation from the AfD. He emphasized that his donation and open support for the AfD were intended to provoke a wake-up call within the CDU, urging the party to reclaim its conservative identity. With state elections approaching, Prange’s move underscores growing tensions within the CDU and raises questions about its future direction.