Leadership debate: CDU argues over election procedures for chancellor candidate

In the primary election question, the fronts in the CDU are hardened. The head of the Junge Union (JU), Tilman Kuban, defends his organization's request for the federal party conference in late November. "The original application is not intended to make a certain person a chancellor candidate, but to motivate the base," he told the SPIEGEL.

According SPIEGEL information should have been discussed at a meeting of JU representatives on the sidelines of the Munich Oktoberfest, invite Friedrich Merz for Germany Day of the CDU youth organization and to build him with the original application a ramp towards Chancellor candidate.

Kuban contradicts that. "It is just not up to date that a few decide on the chancellor's candidacy," said Kuban's reasoning for the petition.

The Saarland Prime Minister Tobias Hans opposes the basic election plans. "In my opinion, the previous procedure, namely the agreement between the leaders of the CDU and CSU, has proven itself," he told the SPIEGEL. In the Bureau, we have agreed to discuss the procedure and procedure for setting up a chancellor candidate in the coming year. "

A premature discussion of personnel is counterproductive, so the confidant of CDU chief Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. "The Social Democrats are a warning example to us, so we can not make the same mistakes and dismantle ourselves."

The primary election is demanded above all by followers of Friedrich Merz . According to SPIEGEL information, the Mittelstandsunion wants MIT to get him into their federal executive board in order to involve him more closely. He is already Vice President of the CDU Economic Council.

In addition to Merz, North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister Armin Laschet and Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn are considered candidates for the chancellor's candidacy. CSU boss Markus Söder , on the other hand, seems to have no corresponding ambitions.

New criticism of Kramp-Karrenbauer

Despite appeals of leading Christian Democrats, the criticism of CDU leader Kramp-Karrenbauer does not stop. The Baden-Wuerttemberg CDU Minister of Education and state election candidate Susanne Eisenmann told the SPIEGEL: "The handwriting of the CDU is not clearly recognizable, there must be more leadership and line in." It needs political heads, so Eisenmann, "who are authentic for Christian Democratic convictions." The CDU politician says: "There is currently a certain amount of personnel interchangeability in the party."

Even the CDU interior expert Armin Schuster complains about the state of the party. "My hope was that the double Kramp-Karrenbauer with Merkel would bring us as a party strong forward," he told the SPIEGEL. "That did not work, unfortunately."

Former Saxon Interior Minister Heinz Eggert told SPIEGEL that unlike many Saxon colleagues, he initially supported Kramp-Karrenbauer. "In the meantime, however, I have the impression that the hoped-for change has not occurred." Either Kramp-Karrenbauer still succeed in a liberation that increases their acceptance among the voters, says the CDU politician, "or you have to rethink."

The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics, Oliver Wittke , criticized the former faction leader Merz after his fierce criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had said this after the Thuringia election. "This is the criticism of an outsider," said Wittke. "So far, he has not taken on any responsibility in the party or in the economy to bring together different wings and come to a joint action." But this alone makes one doubt his Chancellor's ability, according to the CDU politician.

High-ranking MPs had previously called for an end to the personnel debate in a joint appeal - indirectly defending Kramp-Karrenbauer and sharply criticizing Merz. "The behavior of individuals was extremely damaging to the CDU and self-defeating."

New criticism of the Grand Coalition

Meanwhile, growing disagreement over the Grand Coalition among the CDU deputies. Too many concessions were made to the SPD to keep the government alliance alive, in climate protection - now possibly also on the subject of land rent. One of them is Thomas Bareiß , conservative MP from Baden-Württemberg. "With a common economic policy, we can quickly establish unity in the CDU," he told the SPIEGEL.

The Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics has also concrete ideas what that could be: "In response to the flagging economy, we now need a significant relief for SMEs and the economy," he says and calls for a corporate tax reform as a project for the second half of GroKo. "Even our internationally ambitious climate protection goals should not lead to location disadvantages," says Bareiß. "Germany must continue to remain a strong industrial location."

Also from the economy come critical voices. "The Grand Coalition has not used its opportunity," said Reinhold von Eben-Worlée , president of the Association of Family Businesses, the SPIEGEL. "All resources are invested in the development of the welfare state, for investment and the future viability of the country, however, is supposedly no money."

A large part of the economy has therefore lost confidence that this coalition government can still bring about positive things. "In the meantime, many entrepreneurs are ready," he says, "to take the economic policy risk of a CDU / CSU minority government or a Jamaican alliance."

Meanwhile, the CDU Economic Council has support for its Vice President Merz. "Now after the Thuringia election has to be worked up, which has led to these election results," said Secretary Wolfgang Steiger the SPIEGEL. "That can not be dismissed as a lese-majeste."

The attack is for no one other than the Chancellor herself. "Definitely," says Steiger: "Neither Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer nor Mike Mohring have the main responsibility for this."

This topic comes from the new SPIEGEL magazine - available at the kiosk from Saturday morning and every Friday at SPIEGEL + and in the digital magazine edition.

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