A feast for Friedrich: "If you want me to be there, then I'm there"

When a former politician in the province gives a speech, that is usually not worth mentioning.

If the former politician is Friedrich Merz, things are different. In the Saarland he would speak on this Friday evening before a boy union (JU), which sees him as a conservative savior.

That is worth mentioning. Above all, because the JU in a remarkable act of political theater as her husband on their shield lifted - with a strategic meeting coup.

On his "Germany Day 2019" in Saarbrücken, the offspring wanted to vote on Saturday to decide whether in the future the party members of the CDU and CSU decide on the occupation of party presidency and chancellor candidate.

Not just an affront to the party leader

Alone this could be regarded as an affront to the already weakening Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK) - even if the JU chairman Tilman Kuban emphasizes that he wants to "openly discuss" the topic. AKK, for a speech in Saarbrücken should actually be a home game, is expected on Sunday. After an endless squad of only men.

And after the vote on the original election.

If the motion for a primary election receives a majority, he would also be negotiated at the CDU party conference in November. If he came through in Leipzig, the traditional right of access of party leaders would be over - and the race would be open to other aspirants.

photo gallery

7 pictures

This is where Friedrich Merz comes into play and the long journey to Saarland. He does not appear in the printed agenda, comes at short notice, after a phone call with Tilman Kuban. His appearance on the opening day turns the affront into a political attack.

An overwhelming majority in the hall sees him as the better chancellor candidate. He probably too. He is applauded standing up, receiving him posters with the inscription "More Sauerland for Germany".

"I would have made mistakes, too"

Friedrich Merz knows how to take advantage of this opportunity. Artig praised his previous speaker Kuban as "Rampensau, that was really good" and thanks his fan club for the support "last year", especially in the context of regional conferences. Since AKK could barely prevail against him. He conjures a time that would have made the Union "exciting again". Would be nice, that should mean, if it went on so exciting.

He stands behind his commitment to supporting AKK as chairman, "Un-a-limited". Immediately afterwards, he plays on the mistakes of his rival and explains loyally: "I would have made mistakes, maybe others, maybe more difficult," what his young friends do not like to hear: "No!", Someone shouts. "Yes, yes, yes," insists Merz with relish, with his issued loyalty suddenly feeling like conciliatory.

In his speech he grapples both domestic and foreign policy, a very critical observer of circumstances for which he is not responsible. Talks about the pension insurance and insists on need test. From a conservative point of view, even the basic pension is actually "a step too far", applause, but in a coalition one has to make compromises, laughter.

"There is no diesel scandal"

Regarding environmental policy, Merz states: "Yes, we have to do something", we would have a serious big problem with "climate change in this world". But? "But if we want to solve it, Germany alone will not be able to do it". In a growth market such as aviation, "European technology should play a key role" over the next ten, twenty, thirty or forty years.

This includes openness to various technologies, openness especially for the "most modern" technology "in the whole world, which also comes from Germany and can make a lasting contribution to it", to achieve all the climate goals: the diesel. Because: "There is no diesel scandal, there is a fraud scandal".

The word "diesel scandal" is a political battle concept of environmental organizations, Merz explains, and suddenly turns abruptly to the present Paul Ziemiak. The former head of the JU and CDU general secretary of AKK's Grachten had missed it, countering: "We have to be able to shape terms in the debate again," scolds Merz. Under a Secretary General Heiner Geissler that would have "not been possible". Paul Ziemiak looks like Paul Ziemiak.

Not only does Merz call out deceased CDU grandees. He quotes Wilhelm Röpke ("Beyond Supply and Demand"), the tolerance paradox of Karl Popper and Francis Fukuyama's famous "end of history" error. By this time, he has already arrived at the geopolitical world order in the 21st century: "Are we ready to participate in this world league?"

Finally, he brings passages from a recent commentary by Springer CEO Matthias Döpfner to the lecture and concludes: "How free and how human we shape the future of our country and the EU, this responsibility lies on Germany and Germany on CDU and CSU And if you want me to be there, then I'll be there. " More clearly one can hardly recommend oneself as Chancellor candidate.

Courage to lead

Whether the delegates want well? Anyway, Tilman Kuban shines about his coup, listening to the applause, does not want to end and goes over into German songs: "Oh, how is that nice, something you have not seen in a long time!" Meanwhile, Kuban orders two beers ("two beers!") On the stage, struggles with the bottle caps for a while and bumps into Merz: "There should be people, too," he shouts, "who drink a beer on a Malle holiday "

A beautiful picture, with which it could have had to quit - if the affront would not follow a dramaturgisch-psychological coup de main.

Because of the "great media interest" the controversial application 3 is preferred to primary selection surprisingly. What should actually be discussed and decided on Saturday is now being discussed away under the impression of Merz 'application speech.

And this quite so "open"; as Kuban had previously pledged to do so. Criticism of the original election is quite. One should not make the same mistake as the SPD, must show courage to lead. However, the advocates, again all men who would like to see their Union as a "participatory party", establish grassroots democracy and reluctantly overslept a "trend" outweigh it. In addition, one must make the SPD their democracy bonus.

The words have changed quickly enough, one wants to see action soon and go to the vote, "because we all do not want to come late to the party!"

An agenda item will be accepted at the end of the debate. Of the 278 voting delegates in the Congress Center hall, 107 vote against the motion, 170 for. The enthusiasm for her savior seems to have been greater than for the original election.

Nevertheless, it should now be much more possible that Friedrich Merz will no longer be a former politician in the foreseeable future.