The CDU has published a 34-page brochure titled „Abstieg für Deutschland. Keine Alternative.“ accusing the AfD of endangering democracy. The AfD responded sharply with videos and a criminal complaint.
The CDU placed the brochure at its Berlin party headquarters and made it available online. It includes quotes and references to domestic intelligence classifications to inform about AfD positions.
Bernd Baumann, first parliamentary managing director of the AfD parliamentary group, demonstratively collected a copy and uploaded a video. In it he called the publication a „Pamphlet voll von Lügen“ and a historical document.
Dennis Radtke, federal chairman of the CDU workers' wing, rejected the criticism. He told Handelsblatt the brochure is based on original AfD quotes.
Already in 2024 the CDU had published a similar „Braunbuch“ in North Rhine-Westphalia. The new brochure appears during a phase of high AfD poll ratings.
