Risse in der Brandmauer?

Why does cooperation with the AfD occur at the local level despite the CDU’s distancing itself from the party? This study examines how the CDU interacts with the AfD in city and municipal councils, based on a nationwide survey of cases of local cooperation and six comparative case studies in Baden-Württemberg and Saxony. It shows that shifts in majority dynamics within the councils and the attitudes of local CDU actors jointly determine whether and in what form cooperation with the AfD emerges. At the same time, it explains why these dynamics differ between East and West German municipalities, thereby providing new empirical insights into how the CDU deals with the AfD at the local level.