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Merz clearly ahead in Chancellor survey - tough words against union of values

2020-02-13T21:26:52.200Z


After the announcement of the resignation of CDU boss Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Friedrich Merz comes into focus. He has clear words against the union of values.


After the announcement of the resignation of CDU boss Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Friedrich Merz comes into focus. He has clear words against the union of values.

  • Friedrich Merz apparently wants to run for the CDU chair .
  • A successor is urgently sought after the AKK withdrawal .
  • A candidate for chancellor should also be found by summer.

Update of February 13, 9:55 p.m .: There are many indications that Friedrich Merz will be the Union's next candidate for chancellor. So also a current survey by Infratest dimap for the ARD Germany trend: Here Merz is at the top with 40 percent approval for the question "Who would be a good CDU candidate for Chancellor?". He is followed by Bavaria's Prime Minister Söder (31), NRW chief Armin Laschet (30) and health minister Jens Spahn (24).

Union supporters speak even more clearly for Merz: here he is 69 percent ahead of Söder (53), Laschet (43) and Spahn (24).

The Union loses one point on the Sunday question of the Bundestag election, but leads the poll result with 26 percent ahead of the Greens (22, +0), the improved SPD (16, +2) and the AfD (14, +0) Left (9, +0) and the FDP (7, -1).

Update of February 13, 8:20 p.m .: Ex-Union faction leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) has distanced itself from the conservative union of values. Merz said on Thursday evening at a medium- sized business forum in Berlin: "It would be good if this union of values did not exist." He does not find it very sympathetic what comes from this side. At the same time, Merz spoke of a cry for help that certain topics would no longer be discussed as some groups in the Union wished.

The Union of Values was founded almost three years ago, initially as a “freedom-conservative awakening” and above all as a reaction to Chancellor Angela Merkel's (CDU) refugee policy. The conservative group claims to have more than 4,000 members.

CDU crisis: Merz meets Laschet at economic council meeting

Update of February 13, 6.42 p.m .: Ex-Union faction leader Friedrich Merz and his possible competitor for party leadership , NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet , participated in a meeting of the CDU Economic Council on Thursday. Laschet gave a lecture under the motto "New dynamics in Germany and Europe", the German press agency learned on Thursday evening from party circles. At the non-public meeting, he presented his ideas of how the Union should reorganize itself after Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer's announced withdrawal.

Merz then came to an event organized by the Berlin “Forum Mittelstand”. There he wanted a lecture entitled "What now Germany? - (Way) in a good future! " When he arrived shortly after 6 p.m., Merz was greeted with applause and cheers . Members of the Union's offspring from the Junge Union held up signs saying "Ein Herz für Merz" or " Kanzler Merz ".

It was unclear whether Merz would officially announce his candidacy for party leadership. On Wednesday evening, the German press agency had learned from Merz's closest environment that he was determined to run. Merz knew the party base behind and felt encouraged by current polls, it said. It was also unclear whether Merz also wanted to become a candidate for chancellor.

Update from 5.15 p.m .: The spokesman for the conservative union of values , Ralf Höcker , resigns from all political positions due to threats. "Two hours ago, it was made very clear to me that I have to end my political engagement immediately if I don't want to fear" consequences "," wrote the Cologne lawyer on Thursday on Facebook. “The announcement was credible and unmistakable. I bow to the pressure and immediately resign from all my political positions and declare myself to leave all political organizations. ”

The chairman of the Union of Values , Alexander Mitsch, confirmed the resignation to the German Press Agency. "I can understand that he doesn't want to continue under the pressure and deeply regret and condemn that such things are possible in Germany," said Mitsch. Deutschlandfunk had previously reported on Höcker's resignation.

CDU: rapid change of leadership to Merz or Laschet?

1.30 p.m .: Could the change of leadership at the CDU possibly take place more quickly than initially thought? The CDU headquarters was open to convening a special party convention for the election of the new chairman. Next week, outgoing party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer wants to hold talks with prospective successors such as Friedrich Merz and Armin Laschet. In a board meeting on February 24th she wants to inform about the current status.

Successor contender Friedrich Merz , however, was already applying the brakes and warned against too much hurry. There was no reason to be hectic when looking for a successor, he told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Wednesday evening. "We have to talk to each other in peace."

Friedrich Merz positions himself for CDU chair - column at Welt am Sonntag is discontinued

9.26 a.m .: Friedrich Merz (CDU) positions itself. Step by step. Since the announcement by his party colleague and CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer that Germany has waived the bang, which is predicted with Friedrich Merz as future CDU candidate from various places. Voices from the SPD, the Greens and the Left, but also within the CDU, expect Merz to be an unforgivable shift to the right. Others, especially the conservative wing of the Union or the arch-conservative Union of Values ​​* hope with Merz that the weakened party will regain strength.

On Wednesday, just three days after Kramp-Karrenbauer's surprising statement, Merz announced his interest in the CDU chairmanship and candidate for chancellor. Hardly surprising, since the lawyer has been trying to fight to the top of the party since 2018. While he is still waiting for another statement in Germany, Merz has to give up one of his platforms. His political comeback is not compatible with his column in the Welt am Sonntag . Johannes Boie, editor in chief Welt am Sonntag , tweeted on Wednesday evening that the time had now come to give up the collaboration. A small but clear sign of the seriousness of Friedrich Merz's plans.

, @_FriedrichMerz and I have decided together that now is a good time to end his column in #WELTAMSONNTAG. I thank him for his great lyrics - and him and his team for the great collaboration.

- Johannes Boie (@johannesboie) February 12, 2020

Friedrich Merz apparently wants to run for CDU chairmanship - does he reveal more today?

Update from February 13, 6.51 a.m .: Friedrich Merz wants to run for the CDU party chair. The German Press Agency (dpa) wants to know this from its closest environment. Merz is therefore eagerly awaiting an appearance this Thursday evening in Berlin at around 6:30 p.m.

Already in the morning (10 a.m.) a current hour is planned for the consequences of the Thuringian state election in the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament . NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet is another potential successor to the CDU chairmanship. In addition to Laschet, Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn is mentioned again and again. Spahn had said on Wednesday that he was ready to take responsibility, he had always said that. "But in what constellation this will happen, we'll talk about it in the next few days."

Laschet apparently relies on an amicable solution in the personnel debate. The German Press Agency in Berlin learned from circles of the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU that Laschet supported in the personnel discussion the path agreed in the party, which also supported the parliamentary group.

On Wednesday evening, Bodo Ramelow also spoke on TV with Sandra Maischberger about the Thuringian political quake. He made harsh allegations to the AfD * - and reacted increasingly to Maischberger's questions during the program.

Friedrich Merz apparently wants to run for CDU presidency: appearance on Thursday in Berlin

Update from February 12, 8:24 p.m .: Tomorrow, Thursday, Friedrich Merz speaks at the Ballhaus Berlin and observers hope for a comment on the reports about his decision to run for the CDU chairmanship.

His topic “What now Germany? - (Way) into a good future ”at the“ Forum Mittelstand ”is certainly designed for capital and economic questions. An election slogan could certainly also be derived from this.

Friedrich Merz apparently wants to run for CDU chairmanship

First report from February 12, 5:57 p.m .: Berlin - Friedrich Merz was traded as a possible successor immediately after AKK's announcement of resignation . At first he spoke out clearly against a vote by the members, then gave in and is said to have now made the decision to run for the post of CDU chairman , as the German Press Agency (DPA) is supposed to have learned.

CDU: AKK resigns after election disaster in Thuringia - who inherits the union boss?

After the disastrous prime minister election in Thuringia *, Kramp-Karrenbauer had drawn a line. Now, according to the plans of the outgoing CDU leader , a suitable candidate for chancellor should be found by summer.

In addition to Armin Laschet * and Friedrich Merz , Jens Spahn and Markus Söder (CSU) are also considered potential candidates for Chancellor . With the exception of Markus Söder, who, however, already publicly rejected a candidacy, this would also go hand in hand with taking over the party chairmanship .

CDU chair: Friedrich Merz apparently wants to run for AKK successor

As the German Press Agency now wants to know from the environment of Friedrich Merz , he has made his decision and will run for the office of party leader .

Video: Friedrich Merz and his million dollar businesses

This would make the former leader the first to speak clearly. So far, there has been great reluctance among the possible candidates for the AKK successor *.

Friedrich Merz: Should election to the CDU chairmanship not be a member decision?

It was no secret that Friedrich Merz was very interested in chairing the CDU . In the fall of last year, he narrowly lost to AKK in the election to succeed Angela Merkel.

The DPA continues to report that Merz is determined and believes the party base is behind. Current surveys should support this opinion.

Nevertheless, the 64-year-old probably does not want to completely submit to the decision of the members . For example, Merz is supposed to support a member survey, but reject a binding decision .

* merkur.de is part of the nationwide editorial network of Ippen-Digital

List of rubric lists: © dpa / C hristoph Soeder

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-02-13

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