Overview
- Aiwanger, speaking Thursday, welcomed CSU veteran Peter Gauweiler’s call for closer work between the Freie Wähler and the CSU.
- He ruled out a single joint list for federal races and instead cited Bavaria’s approach of running separate campaigns while coordinating on goals.
- Gauweiler had urged joint “Freie Wähler/CSU” lists outside Bavaria, modeled on the Greens’ national setup, to help clear Germany’s 5% threshold for Bundestag seats.
- Aiwanger said any federal move depends on the CDU’s willingness to cooperate, adding that the Union has so far kept the Freie Wähler at arm’s length.
- The debate is pitched as creating a stronger liberal‑conservative choice for voters, with Gauweiler claiming a large center‑right pool based on his own estimate.