Röttgen takes Merkel at her word: Chancellor is now facing a spicy problem

Norbert Röttgen is considered an outsider in the fight for the top of the CDU.

But he just took the Chancellor at her word - how does Angela Merkel react?

• In the CDU, the battle for party leadership is raging - and will continue until at least December.

• Norbert Röttgen also has the chancellorship in his sights.

  For this purpose, he now wants the Chancellor to pay attention.

• Angela Merkel had previously visited the competitors Laschet and Söder.

  An appointment with Röttgen would be particularly spicy.

Königswinter / Berlin

- At the Chancellor's summer press conference, the topic caused amusement - but now

serious.

Seriously with a twinkle in the eye at least: After

and

, the third of the

candidates now also wishes

a visit from Angela Merkel.

Merkel "waiting for invitation"?

Röttgen takes the Chancellor at her word

When Merkel was asked on September 1 whether, after the

and the

, there was an appointment with Röttgen, the Chancellor reacted with an amused smile: unlike in the case of the two prime ministers, she had from hers CDU parliamentary group colleagues "have not yet received an invitation," she said.

Röttgen has now apparently made up for that.

"The Chancellor is also very welcome here and in my constituency," he said on Tuesday to the TV station

.

He had already told her that.

"I am not a head of government," said Röttgen with a view to

and the

.

"But I was very happy that the Chancellor * announced that she was waiting for this invitation."

A meeting between Merkel and Röttgen would have a spicy note: In 2012, Merkel

dismissed

her

from office

after an

*, apparently against his declared will.

Röttgen then largely withdrew from top politics.

Röttgen confronts Merkel with a problem: "You can imagine ..."

The now 55-year-old CDU * party friend of Merkel's was now relaxed.

"You can imagine that I would be very happy to invite you to my beautiful constituency - for example in the beautiful Siebengebirge -" added Röttgen.

So far, there is no specific date.

The

will still be “in the correct form”.

It remains to be seen whether Merkel will actually follow suit.

At her summer press conference she had emphasized on this question that "of course" one could talk.

She has not yet received an invitation from Mr. Röttgen, says #Merkel in the #SommerPK, when asked about her visits to candidates for the CDU party chairmanship / candidate for chancellor.

Maybe you want to say the invitation, dear Mr @n_roettgen?

;)

- Florian Neuhann (@fneuhann) August 28, 2020

The Chancellor could then also plan a third trip to North Rhine-Westphalia.

After all,

another politician from the state - who will initially have local elections this Sunday (September 13th) - in the running for chancellor candidacy and CDU chairmanship.

Merkel also has a history of conflict with Merz.

Chancellor question and CDU chairmanship: Röttgen, Merz and Laschet in the running - the decision should be made in December

Röttgen applies as well as Laschet and ex-Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz for the CDU chairmanship.

The decision is to be made at a

.

The next CDU boss is also considered a possible candidate for chancellor of the Union, as is CSU boss Söder.

The best polls in the Chancellor's race were recently achieved by Söder.

Röttgen also criticized Merz and Laschet in the n-tv interview.

When it

, he has a clear supportive position - unlike his competitors, who remain vague.

"I think a CDU chairman should have a clear position on such a manageable question," he emphasized.

(

) *

.