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
) *
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.