Ilse Aigner, the CDU/CSU candidate for the presidency of Germany, has declined to meet with the AfD and Leftist factions in the Bundestag. Aigner's staff chief, Eric Markuse, cited an AfD vice faction leader's statement that labeled her nomination as an 'indictment' to justify the decision. The AfD's Beatrix von Storch had publicly called Aigner's nomination an 'indictment', prompting the refusal to visit the AfD faction.
Aigner has chosen to meet with the Union, SPD, and Green parties, as confirmed by her staff. The SPD and Greens have already expressed support for her candidacy. The Leftist party has not officially invited Aigner, but their parliamentary business leader, Ina Latendorf, said they would be open to discussions if she wished to visit. The AfD has not been invited, and the decision to avoid them was made by Aigner's team.
The decision to avoid the AfD and Leftist factions is part of Aigner's strategy to build bridges across political lines. She has emphasized the need to find common ground against extremist forces on both the left and right. Aigner's approach is to be a unifying figure, as she has described, aiming to 'bridge the gaps' and 'overcome the divides' in German politics.