Markus Söder fights with hard bandages.
He repeatedly leads the long-distance duel for the candidacy for chancellor against Armin Laschet on TV.
With some nasty tips.
Munich - At some point even the friendly Markus Lanz has had enough: "I have already thrown you the name Armin Laschet * several times, but you absolutely do not take it up," the moderator moans.
But Markus Söder * doesn't want to talk about Laschet, at least not directly.
For half an hour on Tuesday evening, the CSU boss indulged in allusions and omissions about his CDU colleague.
And that is exactly what makes his appearance on the talk show so special: Although Söder says little about Laschet, he constantly kicks him on the shin with the nuances.
K question: Söder is ahead of Laschet - CSU boss leaves many hints
The K question in the Union is approaching the decision - and Söder is omnipresent.
Just a few hours after the Lanz appearance, the CSU boss speaks again on breakfast television, followed by the big press conference in Munich at noon.
He gets a tailwind from surveys: According to the RTL / ntv trend barometer, Söder would clearly win a direct election against competitors Robert Habeck (Greens) and Olaf Scholz (SPD) - Laschet, on the other hand, would not.
Both seem determined to reach for the candidacy.
Nobody wants to say it openly, even if the hints are becoming clearer and clearer.
Observers who once had good grades in text interpretation in German lessons are currently making the most progress.
For example, on Tuesday evening at Markus Lanz, where Söder verbosely tries to avoid clear answers, but leaves a lot of hints - which is also thanks to the persistent inquiring host.
First of all, Söder is moving away from the old mantra “My place is in Bavaria”, with which he long downplayed his Berlin ambitions.
Instead it now says “I am present in both places.” Without the CSU * chairman, nothing would happen in the coalition committee after the election anyway.
In short: “You have to reckon with us everywhere.” For some in the CDU * that sounds like a threat.
Söder praises the cooperation with his colleagues Winfried Kretschmann (Baden-Württemberg) and Michael Kretschmer (Saxony) persistently.
Laschet does not appear there.
At least Söder thinks his suggestion of a “bridge lockdown” is good, although he cannot spare himself the hint: “I have actually always advocated this thesis, if I may put it that way, the Chancellor too.” But he is happy about everyone who joins the cautious strategy.
Tough chancellor fight in the Union: Söder speaks publicly via private SMS from Laschet
It is also interesting, as Söder reports, that he had SMS contact with Laschet before the broadcast.
"He told me I should be peaceful - and I definitely want to do that." At the same time, however, he reminds that the competitor did not get good press after his appearance in the same place a week ago and adds patronizingly, the CDU -Chef proves "great stamina and endurance and strength".
In the Union parliamentary group in Berlin, where many fear for their mandate in view of declining polls, the two candidates are being watched closely.
The coming Sunday should be a decisive date when the top of the parliamentary group meets for a retreat.
Speaker: Laschet and Söder.
Title: “How do we shape the future?” It is no longer expected that the two of them will make an amicable suggestion for personnel.
Nobody should withdraw anytime soon.