The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

Laschet bombarded with Merz questions at CDU premiere - the "vaccination chaos" is smoldering in their own country

2021-01-26T11:40:59.813Z


Premiere for Armin Laschet: At his first press conference, the new CDU boss tries to keep a clear edge. Even with two sensitive topics - Friedrich Merz on the one hand, corona easing on the other.


Premiere for Armin Laschet: At his first press conference, the new CDU boss tries to keep a clear edge.

Even with two sensitive topics - Friedrich Merz on the one hand, corona easing on the other.

  • Armin Laschet

    has officially been the new

    CDU boss

    since Friday

    .

  • On Monday, the North Rhine-Westphalia

    chaired

    its first

    CDU board meeting

    .

  • At the following press conference, Laschet clearly tried to address the issue clearly.

    In focus: Friedrich Merz, Corona and Russia.

Update from January 25, 2:55 p.m.:

Armin Laschet's

first press meeting as CDU boss was

largely smooth.

But in his own country, the

Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia is

facing violent displeasure: the opposition in the Düsseldorf state parliament

complained

on Monday of a violent failure of the government led by Laschet on the subject of

corona vaccinations

.

The SPD parliamentary group accused the yellow-black coalition of having created a

“vaccination chaos”

and called for clarification at a current hour.

When

booking corona vaccination appointments

for over 80-year-olds via the website www.116117.de, which

started on Monday,

the server initially collapsed due to the heavy crowd, criticized the SPD parliamentary group.

Visitors were later informed that appointments were currently not possible due to the increased demand.

The hotlines for telephone registration "were not successful," said

SPD parliamentary group vice-president Kristin Kapteinat

.

The

German Foundation for Patient Protection also

criticized a "bumpy start in the allocation of vaccination appointments".

"Although North Rhine-Westphalia is not the first state to go online with appointments, there is no learning effect," explained Foundation Board Member Eugen Brysch.

“Even pre-registration is not possible.” When NRW Health Minister Karl-Josef Laumann (CDU) calls for termination, “he shouldn't be surprised if people follow him”.

Laschet PK premiere: Merz in the shadow cabinet?

The new CDU boss is emphatically clear - also about the relaxation of the corona

Update from January 25, 2.10 p.m.:

The first

press conference of CDU boss Armin Laschet

is over.

The new chairman clearly tried to make clear statements - in the past, vague statements by Laschet had repeatedly been criticized.

He rejected

a debate about quick or clearly scheduled

corona easing

, and Laschet also demonstrated a clear edge in the dispute over Russia and Nord Stream: He neither wanted to see doubts about the project nor give in to pressure from the USA.

The appearance was partly overshadowed by constant inquiries about the

election campaign competitor Friedrich Merz

.

Except for narrow-lipped hints that he had given the essential answers, Laschet did not show any displeasure.

He emphasized that he wanted to involve Merz - it would "find a place".

Update from January 25, 2:02 p.m.:

The

Union election program

should "be there on time for the election campaign," explains Laschet - but not before the candidate for chancellor has chosen.

Careful elaboration is necessary: ​​"This is a long process that starts now."

When it

comes to Corona,

the new CDU chief brakes.

"Citizens can rely on the fact that I have always said that if the number of cases falls sustainably and in the long term, fundamental rights encroachments have to be withdrawn." However, this is not the current situation - the

mutated virus

could also

show its effect

in

Germany

at any time.

"In this phase, we now have to do everything we can to bring the numbers down, so there is currently no room for opening discussions." However, the basic

opening strategies are being

worked

on without a date

.

In any case,

daycare centers and schools are

the

first in line

in the event of

relaxation

.

Of course, “each of us” would like to see easing.

In an “incalculable situation”, however, it would be risky to define concrete steps, for example for certain incidence figures, added Laschet when asked.

“You can't fix that to mathematical factors!” He emphasizes.

Laschet gives the first CDU boss PK - and is holed up on the subject of Merz

Update from January 25, 1:57 p.m.:

The next questions to Laschet also apply to Merz and

Norbert Röttgen of

all people

.

With Röttgen, he expects a good cooperation in the

CDU presidium

, says the new party leader.

But he also points out once again that Merz would have been his first choice for the post.

“You have to have a clear position on what our values ​​are,” says Laschet, referring to

Russia

, the

Navalny

case and the controversial

Nord Stream 2

gas pipeline

.

Nevertheless, one has to cooperate.

In the end, the question of energy supply is one that Germany will decide, he stressed in view of US pressure to cancel the pipeline project.

Update from January 25th, 1:50 p.m.:

Laschet also immediately

felt

the difficulties of the

digitization

he was calling

for: The question of a journalist was "almost incomprehensible", he complains.

It works on the third attempt.

"I appreciate him, I appreciate his advice, he will find his place," he emphasizes again with a view to Merz.

"I do not play computer games during Prime Minister conferences," says Laschet when asked about the debate about Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left).

In view of discussions about

encroachments

on

fundamental rights

at the

Corona summits

, “concentration” is required.

Laschet gives first PK after CDU board meeting - Merz in the shadow cabinet?

Update from January 25, 1:47 p.m.:

In

response to

a question about his fiercest competitor in the election campaign for the CDU top office, Laschet says that he had offered

Friedrich Merz

a post;

"One of the most important that the CDU in Germany has to offer" in the party presidium.

Since Merz did not accept that, other possibilities of integration are being discussed.

Laschet explains that he does not have a place in a shadow cabinet to offer - after all, there is still no

candidate for chancellor

.

Update from January 25, 1:42 p.m.:

Laschet finds praise for the new

US government of Joe Biden

- the CDU welcomes the return of the USA to the World Health Organization as well as the new course in the

withdrawal of US troops from Germany, which

Donald Trump is considering

.

The

super election year is also

casting its shadow in Laschet's first chief PK:

Paul Ziemiak

and

Markus Blume

- secretaries-general of the CDU and CSU - will soon begin to

work out

a

government and election campaign program

for a new legislature, he says.

There are "big budget problems", and "social and cultural issues" need to be realigned after the corona pandemic, for example with the help of greater digitization.

Update from January 25th, 1:35 p.m.: Armin Laschet is

currently appearing for the first time after a board meeting as

CDU boss

before the press.

In May 2017 he stood at this desk for the last time, recalls Laschet - and thus of his election victory in the NRW state elections, which gave him the appearance.

"Our goal now is to start work after this successful digital party congress," he says to the new party chairman.

The result of the postal vote was "important backing", he emphasized.

"It is good that the numbers are falling in Germany, but the uncertainty remains as to what about the mutated virus," says Laschet, referring to the

Corona crisis

.

In this respect, it is right to keep the numbers low.

How things go after February 14th is then a matter for the

Federal Chancellery and the Prime Minister

.

CDU boss Laschet: First board meeting on Monday - PK premiere with Ziemiak

Update from January 25, 6:50 a.m.:

For

Armin Laschet

things

really get going

this Monday as the new

CDU boss

.

At 9 a.m., the CDU leadership will meet for the first time under his leadership.

Initially, digital consultations are planned for the party presidency, the closest leadership circle around Laschet.

The larger board then also comes together for a digital meeting.

Laschet and General Secretary Paul Ziemiak then appear in

front of the press at around

1.30 p.m.

to provide information on the results of the meetings.

In the so-called super election year 2021, the

CDU also has a

lot to prepare.

Important state elections in

Baden-Württemberg *

and

Rhineland-Palatinate *

are already due in March

- the party currently does not provide the Prime Minister in either country.

In addition, Laschet has to continue to promote itself in order

to gain

the trust of

Friedrich Merz's

supporters

.

This unity of the party is important for the question of who will be the Union’s candidate for chancellor.

CDU: Armin Laschet celebrates the premiere of the party leader on Monday - the survey provides a small damper

+

Armin Laschet at the CDU party congress - after the presidency election, the next debates threaten.

© osnapix / Hirnschal / www.imago-images.de

First report from January 24th:

Berlin / Düsseldorf - the election campaign lasted almost a year - now

Armin Laschet * can get started

as

CDU leader

: The Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia has been officially confirmed as party chairman since Friday.

On Monday he will now

chair

his first

board meeting

.

A first

press conference

is also planned for 1.30 p.m.

However, it is possible that Laschet will have to deal with some rather unpleasant secondary war theaters.

After overcoming the tug-of-war over the leadership position, the Union has

not increased

in the

polls

: In a

Sunday question from

the Kantar Institute on behalf of

Bild am Sonntag

, the

CDU and CSU

even lost.

At 35 percent, one point less than a week ago, the survey sees the Union parties.

On the other hand, the

Greens of

all places have gained

.

The eco party - which grapples with chancellor questions * - has won two percentage points and is now at 20 percent.

"Armin Laschet leads our CDU": The struggle for the Union's candidate for chancellor continues

The question about the

candidate for chancellor

had once again cast a

spell over

Laschet and his “tandem” partner

Jens Spahn

at the weekend

.

"Armin Laschet leads our CDU, and he is therefore the natural candidate for chancellor," said the health minister of

Bild am Sonntag

.

Laschet himself still did not comment on possible chancellor ambitions - Spahn had already caused displeasure with an advertising edition at the election party congress.

In a speech to party friends in Stuttgart, however, Laschet campaigned for the involvement of his inferior rival

Friedrich Merz

.

Laschet gave his first speech as party leader there on Saturday at a

CDU state party conference

- in

Baden-Württemberg

, where his rival Merz had a particularly large number of supporters.

Laschet himself pointed out this fact in his address and added: "I'm also a Friedrich Merz fan." That was obviously well received: "He was celebrated by those who wanted to prevent him," said an official afterwards the appearance of the dpa.

Video: ten things you need to know about the new CDU boss Armin Laschet

Laschet, Söder and the candidacy for chancellor: State elections as a sticking point?

New CDU boss is already building

Laschet also announced that he

wanted to achieve a result of over 35 percent

for his party in the

federal election

with a

middle course

.

In surveys, the Union is currently at "35 percent plus x", he said.

For the CDU it is now important "that we keep the voters of the center with us".

According to the Kantar survey, however, the “x” is currently zero.

The two

state elections in Baden-Württemberg *

and

Rhineland-Palatinate *

are considered the first mood test for the new CDU boss.

Laschet and his alleged

chancellor competitor Markus Söder

(CSU) have already agreed to wait for the polls to go through before deciding on a candidate *.

But it will be difficult for the CDU in both countries.

Laschet's future depends on two top candidates, of all people, who are likely to have a very difficult time against the popular

incumbents Malu Dreyer

(SPD) and

Winfried Kretschmann

(Greens).

Polls currently see Söder in the favor of voters over Laschet.

Laschet knows that too.

When asked whether he would have

to cede

the

candidacy for chancellor to Söder

if the elections in the two countries did not go so well, he told the

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

: “Markus Söder has made it clear that these are state elections with their own concepts and own Spitzenkandidaten act. ”(

Fn / AFP / dpa

) *

Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network

.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2021-01-26

You may like

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-27T16:45:54.081Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.