CDU: Armin Laschet rules out a change with Jens Spahn

CDU politician Armin Laschet

Photo: 

Federico Gambarini / dpa

North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet has ruled out renouncing his candidacy for the CDU chairmanship in favor of Health Minister Jens Spahn.

»The state association of North Rhine-Westphalia suggested me for good reasons.

It stays that way.

And that's how Jens Spahn sees it, ”said Laschet on the WDR program“ Confrontation - Markus Feldenkirchen meets Armin Laschet ”.

With this determination, Laschet reacts to the growing popularity of Spahn and the widespread dissatisfaction in the Union with the staffing available for the party chairmanship.

Too defensive, too unsteady

At the beginning of the year, Spahn decided to run as Laschet's runner-up.

Meanwhile, however, the health minister is ahead of the prime minister in many surveys and is enjoying increasing popularity in the party and parliamentary group.

Laschet's actions in the course of the party’s internal competition, however, are also seen as too defensive and unsteady among his supporters.

According to the current plan, the decision on the chairmanship should be made at a digital party conference in January.

When asked by SPIEGEL author Feldenkirchen whether Laschet would “like” to be Federal Chancellor, he replied with a yes: “It's an extremely responsible position.

An office that will completely change your life once again.

But if you want to make a difference in politics, then of course it is the office where you can help decide how Germany will develop in the next few years. "

Unusually, Laschet criticized his rival Friedrich Merz for his statements about the postponement of the CDU party congress.

A few weeks ago Merz had publicly ranted about the "establishment" in the CDU and had also suspected that Laschet's tactical considerations might be behind the postponement.

"I have clear indications that Armin Laschet issued the motto: He needs more time to improve his performance," said Merz at the time.

In the WDR production you can see how Laschet reacts emotionally in the morning after Merz's attack.

"I would have assessed him more professionally," said Laschet, looking at Merz.

The behavior of his competitor is 20 years old: "Previously against Merkel, now against some establishment."

Postponement of the party congress

When asked which "behavioral pattern" he meant exactly, Laschet said: "This tone of always suspecting a conspiracy theory when you make a factual decision just doesn't fit."

There was also no struggle to postpone the CDU board:

• “It was clear to everyone: If we shut down the whole country, if we tell people, you are not even allowed to meet the neighborhood children, that the CDU cannot meet with a thousand delegates.

  That’s completely obvious.

  Anyone who has a bit of a feel for life, for human situations, has to say: People, we can't do that. "

All parties are currently canceling party conventions, said Laschet.

"And we invent patterns as if someone had conspired against someone."

As a younger politician, he followed how Merz had an argument with Angela Merkel 20 years ago.

“And to continue this now and on is just crazy.” Laschet continued: “I think that was a slip and I could imagine that he regrets it himself today.” When asked whether Friedrich Merz is a good CDU -Chairman, he said: "I can think of a better one."

Laschet also contradicted the reading that he was the candidate for "Keep it up", a kind of male copy of Angela Merkel.

“I think we're completely different types, in terms of our lives, of our socialization.

There's hardly a bigger difference, ”said Laschet.

"Man Woman.

The one deep in the west, it couldn't be more western.

The other grew up in East Germany.

You Protestant pastor's daughter, I grew up in the Catholic Church.

It is so much different «, said the NRW Prime Minister.

"But we have similar views on a few key questions about how the Union should position itself in the middle."

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The party was well advised not to break with a highly esteemed Chancellor.

Laschet was cautious about Markus Söder's popularity.

When asked why so many believed that the Bavarian Prime Minister had better corona crisis management than he did, Laschet said: »I don't know.

I have my way. And it also consists of calm, also of weighing up, also of observing the consequences of doing.

And it is not such a distinctive appearance as Markus Söder has.

He has her."

This was "impressive," said the CDU politician.

“And with the sonorous voice of the Franconian-Bavarian tone, it is particularly impressive again, but I am what I am.

And you have to take me for who I am.

And I speak as I see fit, and I don't get used to any other ways. "

The program "Confrontation - Markus Feldenkirchen meets Armin Laschet" runs on Thursday at 8:15 pm on WDR television and is already available in the ARD media library.

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