Armin Laschet announced his candidacy for the CDU chairmanship on Tuesday. With this he got ahead of Friedrich Merz - and apparently let him run up.
- Merz, Laschet or Röttgen? After the announced withdrawal of CDU boss Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer , the race for her successor is now entering the decisive phase.
- In addition to Norbert Röttgen , Friedrich Merz also wants to officially announce his candidacy on Tuesday morning.
- Armin Laschet has now preceded Merz. If he were to become party leader, Jens Spahn would be his vice.
Update at 9.45 pm: CDU candidate Friedrich Merz wants "that the CDU broaden its spectrum again". "I stand for the fact that on the basis of our common political foundation we also win back the liberals, the conservative voters in Germany, whom we have clearly and clearly lost in recent years, that we also win back young people," he said on Tuesday in an interview with ARD “Tagesthemen”.
Merz objected to the assessment that the CDU wanted to move to the right: the way the CDU was doing at the moment, it had obviously "lost voters in all directions, including members, by the way". “And that is why I would like to start with the promise that we will bring back a large proportion of these voters. It is not a shift to the right, it is back to the center and back to where the Union's regular voters used to be and where, unfortunately, we have lost them. ”
With a view to NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet, who is running for the CDU chair with the support of Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn, Merz was asked in the interview whether he didn't want to play on the team. Merz replied that it was of course also a question of who led the team. "And only one can lead. And I said that, of course, I am ready to make friends with team ideas. But Armin Laschet made the claim to lead this team. Me too."
Update at 6:27 p.m .: Tomorrow's political Ash Wednesday will also be an exciting day for the CDU: Both Armin Laschet and Friedrich Merz have announced appearances - Merz of all places in Thuringia, which was recently marked by violent political upheavals.
Berlin's CDU chief Kai Wagner speaks in favor of Merz
Update at 5:18 p.m .: Berlin CDU leader Kai Wegner has again spoken in favor of Friedrich Merz as federal party chairman . "I am convinced that Friedrich Merz brings what our country and the CDU now need: a clear attitude and a clear language that can provide orientation," said Wegner on Tuesday.
From April 26th, the clarification of the leadership question must then "have to" put the real problems of the people back in the center of our politics ". “All three candidates can help achieve this goal. Everyone has their supporters, and at the same time I continue to see a great deal of support at the base for Friedrich Merz, ”emphasized Wegner.
Merz receives criticism for tweet: "Hard to beat the disgust"
Update at 2:28 pm: According to the arch-conservative union of values , the CDU is facing a "fateful decision on direction". The candidate for the chair, Friedrich Merz, stands for "Aufbruch", his challenger Armin Laschet for "Weiter so", wrote Value Union chief Alexander Mitsch on Tuesday via the short message service Twitter. The decision at the special party conference on April 25 was fateful "for the party, but also for Germany".
However, Merz is already exposed to massive criticism shortly after the announcement of his candidacy. The occasion is a tweet from Monday evening, in which he positioned the CDU as a “party of law and order” and called for a fight against “ lawless spaces or clan structures ”. When asked whether this was his " answer to the problem of right-wing radicalism ", Merz said at his press conference in the morning: "The answer is yes."
"Do I correctly conclude that your answer to the problem of right-wing radicalism, the increased focus on clam crime, border controls, etc.?"
"The answer is: yes."
Friedrich #Merz, February 25, 2020 pic.twitter.com/6GyR95xsL8
“The first victims of Hanau were buried today. Friedrich Merz has nothing better to do than pondering over 'clan structures', wrote Green Vice-President Jamila Schäfer : “You can hardly beat that disgusting thing.” “Merz misses the time so precisely, only Merz can,” stated the publicist Nils Minkmar in another tweet.
CDU: Friedrich Merz wants to become party leader - did he reject an offer from AKK?
Update at 12:59 p.m .: In the struggle for the CDU chairmanship, Friedrich Merz wants to play on “victory or place”, the ex-union group leader emphasized on Tuesday. The day before, he obviously proved that he was serious. According to a report by bild.de , Merz was announced yesterday by the outgoing CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer a ministerial post in the federal cabinet. According to Bild.de, Merz rejected this in a phone call. If Merz had accepted the offer, the two CDU leaders would have wanted him to be the minister at Merkel. However, this plan is now obviously invalid.
Update at 12.33 p.m .: With his accusation that the constellation of Armin Laschet and Jens Spahn at the top of the CDU is a "cartel formation to weaken competition" , CDU politician Friedrich Merz causes confusion. At the press conference on Tuesday morning, he also admitted that he had previously told Armin Laschet that he would be available as deputy CDU chairman if he was not elected himself. But that was done today, added the ex-Union parliamentary leader. Confusing: Why a leadership duo Laschet / Merz was an acceptable option, but the combination Laschet / Spahn would weaken the competition, he did not explain on Tuesday.
CDU: Friedrich Merz does not (yet) ask about government reorganization
Update at 11.49 a.m .: Merz emphasized in his statement that the Federal Republic was doing extremely well. But now you have to look ahead and make some corrections . "We would not have lost so many voters if all of that were fine," he criticized. It is now a matter of the direction in which the party is developing. The question of a government reshuffle does not arise for him at the present time. He assumed that this would only take place after the Federal Party Congress. Then the chairmen of the CDU and CSU would discuss this.
Friedrich Merz opposed Armin Laschet in the race for the CDU chairmanship.
© AFP / ODD ANDERSEN
"In the event of my election, I will definitely propose a woman to the party as general secretary, " Merz also announced. When asked whether the new CDU chairman would also run as a candidate for the Federal Chancellery , Merz replied that in principle every CDU chairman was suitable for the Federal Chancellery. Nevertheless, the dialogue with the CSU stands before this decision. "We will communicate with the CSU again this time, I will stick to that," emphasized the ex-Union parliamentary leader.
CDU: Merz now makes serious accusations against Laschet and Spahn
Update at 11.36 a.m .: Armin Laschet surprised his competitor Friedrich Merz with the step of proposing Jens Spahn as party vice . "In the event that I should not be elected, I told Armin Laschet that I would be prepared to serve as my deputy ," said Merz at the press conference on Tuesday morning, referring to discussions from the past few days. This question was then resolved today, added the ex-group leader with a view to the latest developments. "It is clear - I play for victory or place," said Merz. He also shoots against the possible leadership duo Laschet / Spahn. According to focus.de, the constellation of Laschet and Spahn calls Merz a "cartel formation to weaken competition".
Merz also went to court with his party as a whole at the press conference. According to him, past decisions by the grand coalition are "a burden for the young generation ". He also contested the age structure in the party. "Unfortunately, we have a very high death rate in the CDU because we have an outdated membership ," said the ex-Union faction leader.
Update at 11:22 a.m .: Immediately after his competitor Armin Laschet left the room of the federal press conference, ex-union faction leader Friedrich Merz came in front of the cameras. "After careful consideration, I decided to run again for the office of chairman, " he said straight away. The CDU must look ahead and regain confidence in the constitutional state of the FRG.
CDU: Merz welcomes open competition in the party - "This is democracy"
"Since today we have an open competition in the CDU - I expressly welcome that because it is democracy - also within-party democracy," emphasized Merz and expressed himself differently than Laschet , who according to his own information would have liked to have avoided a fight candidate . Just like Laschet, Merz also emphasized that he and his competitor had different accents. The CDU members would now have the alternative between continuity or departure and renewal . "I stand for change and renewal," emphasized Merz, referring to the latest survey results that should be the last wake-up call for the CDU . "We have to get better and start a new era - not with a" move on as before, "he predicted. The party must fundamentally renew itself.
Update at 10:34 a.m .: When asked whether Friedrich Merz could be teamed at the moment, Laschet replied: “So we don't distribute grades here . I don't want to judge that now. ”Laschet said earlier that he was disappointed that not all of the candidates were able to join the team idea and thus put a side blow against Merz, who was involved in the team talks with Jens Spahn .
CDU: Laschet does not want to bring about an early change of chancellor if he is elected
Update at 9.57 a.m .: The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia also commented on the question of whether Laschet would like to stand as Federal Chancellor if he was elected. There will probably not be an early change of chancellor . "The federal government is elected until September 2021 , we are preparing for the period after 2021," said Laschet, referring to a stable constitution, in the context of which "one cannot even change the chancellor". Laschet also stressed that the issue could be resolved by the chancellor candidacy only with the CSU.
The CDU and CSU chairpersons will make a proposal for the chancellor's candidacy, and the CDU chairperson will be clear with the decision at the Federal Party Congress who this proposal will be. This means that the future CDU chairman is also considered a possible candidate for chancellor of the Union . Laschet had previously informed CSU leader Markus Söder about his candidacy as party leader . The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia left open, however, when the Union should decide on the candidate for chancellor. But this would not happen immediately.
CDU: AKK and Laschet talked to the team about Spahn and Merz
When asked by a journalist, Spahn then went back to the talks he had mentioned about the team idea after AKK's resignation . "These discussions about the team idea took place with Jens Spahn and Friedrich Merz - with great intensity," said Laschet. However, Friedrich Merz has different accents - which the NRW prime minister respects. Merz wanted to cut the AfD in half, said Laschet. Although this is a "desirable goal", the CDU has also lost voters in the middle, which it must win back.
Laschet conceded that a journalist would follow up on the question of whether someone else was running for the CDU chairmanship in the discussions on team solution . Team solution is the question of what is the best lineup. "And I think the way the lineup is now is good," emphasized Laschet. He also emphasized that he had been on the team for a long time. He was not simply “snowed in” in politics, but at least the Prime Minister of the largest federal state . "I was always on the team - and someone else was number one," said the CDU politician.
CDU: Spahn wants to stand with Laschet at the CDU leadership for cohesion and security
Update at 9.45 a.m .: Armin Laschet announced his candidacy for the CDU chairmanship at a joint press conference with Jens Spahn on Tuesday morning. First, Spahn emphasized that it was clear that there could only be one party leader. "Therefore, I will not run for the party chairmanship, but the candidacy of Armin Laschet support," said the Federal Minister of Health. Laschet and he had had their differences in the past, but a people's party is about building bridges. Together with Laschet, he wants to be at the head of the CDU for cohesion and security .
After Spahn's statement, Laschet commented on the developments on Tuesday morning. "We are not in a situation like 2018 that several candidates are running and the party finds it exciting - now we are faced with the task of keeping everyone together, " said Laschet. He reported that the CDU politicians had used the past few days to talk to each other and find a consensus . That is why there were no hasty candidacies . He was pleased that it was possible to find a consensus with Jens Spahn. "You described it, we didn't always agree," he said to Spahn, "but that's the CDU People's Party - bringing together different opinions."
Spahn was proposed for the deputy chair of the CDU . This also makes it clear that different personalities have space at the top of the CDU. Laschet regretted, however , that not all candidates were able to join this team spirit . However, he did not explicitly name Friedrich Merz at this point, but he was probably meant. "I think it will come into focus in the future," he predicted.
CDU: Armin Laschet has announced candidacy to chair the conference call
Update at 9.16 a.m .: As has now become known, Armin Laschet has declared in a conference call with the leadership of the state CDU his willingness to apply for the CDU chairmanship at the party conference on April 25. He stressed, according to information provided by the dpa from party circles, that everything had been done for a team solution prior understandings, but now it had to be clarity. Even after the 2021 federal election, the Union must remain the central political force in the middle.
Laschet also announced to the executive state board that he would propose health minister Jens Spahn if he was elected deputy CDU chairman . In the conference call, he said that an integrative personality as party leader was needed. Laschet had shown in North Rhine-Westphalia that he could bring conservatives, socialists and liberals together in one team. Spahn supported Laschet's candidacy because he had won an election and successfully governed the largest federal state. At the top of the NRW-CDU there was a lot of support for the joint move circles. It was seen by participants as a strong signal for a realignment of the party.
CDU: Armin Laschet is running for party chairmanship - Jens Spahn is to be deputy
Update at 8.27 a.m .: NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet * apparently got ahead of his party colleague Friedrich Merz . As the German press agency learned from party circles on Tuesday morning , Laschet is running for the CDU chairmanship . Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn * , on the other hand, is not running for the CDU chairmanship. According to information from dpa from the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU, Laschet wants to make Spahn his deputy if he is elected party leader.
First report from February 25, 2020:
Berlin - So far, after the resignation of CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, only foreign politician Norbert Röttgen has officially announced his candidacy for party leadership. This morning he will probably get the first official competitor. Because a press conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. with the former Union faction leader Friedrich Merz * , at which he will probably announce his candidacy. The struggle for the successor of Kramp-Karrenbauer, who had announced her resignation as a consequence of the political quake in Thuringia, is entering a decisive phase.
CDU: Friedrich Merz could get other competitors - for example Armin Laschet and Jens Spahn
In addition, the North Rhine-Westphalian Prime Minister Armin Laschet and Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn are expected to clarify in the following days whether they want to apply for the CDU chairmanship. Kramp-Karrenbauer, announced at a press conference on Monday that potential candidates would like to explain quickly, more precisely later this week . The new party leadership will be elected at a special party conference on April 25 in Berlin.
With Merz's application, it is clear that the CDU will again decide in a fight candidate about its future party chairmanship. The CDU's plans to achieve an amicable “team solution” with previous agreements between Laschet, Merz and Spahn are thus history .
CDU: Merz opponent Norbert Röttgen speaks out on ZDF for a fight candidate
Röttgen * welcomed the development : "My impression was that somehow there should be talk behind closed doors - and all of a sudden all questions are settled," said the former Federal Minister for the Environment, who was the first to announce his candidacy a week ago and according to a survey is currently the Favorite for the AKK successor would be *, on Monday evening on ZDF . "I think that would not have done justice to the seriousness of the situation . It will be different now. "
During a performance in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Merz confirmed that he wanted to "make a contribution" to mastering the challenges of the coming years. The Hamburg election , in which the CDU had fallen to a record low of 11.2 percent, was a “disaster” for the CDU, he said on Monday evening at a CDU event in Ueckermünde. It is another clear sign that the CDU is currently in a deep crisis. Spahn further said that the analysis from Hamburg shows that the Greens are probably the main opponent of the CDU in the next federal election. "And I'm looking forward to it." He did not comment on his ambitions for the party chair. That will change at the federal press conference on Tuesday morning.
* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
dpa, cia
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Michael Kappeler
