Who will head the CDU in the future? And who will become the Union's candidate for chancellor? Both should be answered quickly, the first talks of the outgoing CDU leader are beginning now. But some want to continue building on proven forces in the election campaign.
Berlin (dpa) - In the discussion about the reorganization of the CDU, the Schleswig-Holstein Prime Minister Daniel Günther suggests to continue to rely on Chancellor Angela Merkel as a driving force in the next Bundestag election campaign.
"With Angela Merkel, we as CDU have every chance of getting a very good result in the general election," said the CDU politician in the ARD "Tagesthemen". "We can benefit from the sympathy that she has among people."
With regard to the new appointment to the CDU party chair, Günther said that the candidate must clearly determine the course of the Union and position itself in the political center. A clear demarcation to the right is necessary. The Union was in dire need of this, "especially after the past few weeks." The background to his warning is the controversial prime minister election in Thuringia: there the FDP politician Thomas Kemmerich was elected head of government with the help of the AfD and CDU in early February. In the wake of the crisis, party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced her withdrawal.
Kramp-Karrenbauer will meet with former Union Group leader Friedrich Merz this Tuesday to discuss the next steps in the search for candidates for the CDU chairmanship and candidate for chancellor. From his environment it has already been announced that Merz is determined to run for office. CDU Vice and NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet and Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn are further favorites for these positions.
In order to avoid a fight and not to deepen the division of the party even further, there is now talk of a team solution. That probably means that it should be clarified among the favorites beforehand who should get which position in the team - party chair, candidate for chancellor, chair of the parliamentary group or ministerial position.
On Wednesday, Kramp-Karrenbauer reportedly wants to meet Laschet and Spahn for separate talks.
The parliamentary manager of the SPD parliamentary group, Carsten Schneider, told the "Passauer Neue Presse" that the CDU had to clarify its leadership question. A dismantling of the chancellor was not possible with the SPD. "So far, the SPD has supported this government and shaped it significantly. Angela Merkel is elected until 2021, and it remains so. There is no reason to change the head of government just because the CDU is looking for a new party leader," he said. "If the CDU overthrows its own chancellor, it would be a foolhardy act, in which we certainly do not participate."
