A few days after Armin Laschet's free choice as candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz hit the headlines again: With criticism of the Greens and “gender language”.
Prelude to a Merz election campaign?
Berlin / Meschede - For almost three months it was quiet about Friedrich Merz - now the controversial CDU conservative is pushing more publicly again: On Friday, Merz made a name for itself with a double campaign.
With a striking criticism of gender-equitable language.
And with offensive doubts about the Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock.
After the chancellor wrestling between Armin Laschet and Markus Söder, more such statements may be heard: The CDU is making initial demands to involve Merz more closely in the Bundestag election campaign - possibly a reaction to weak polls.
And on the freestyle of Laschet, who is more left-wing liberal by Union standards.
Merz's current requests to speak would in any case fit this thesis.
He is also planning campaign appearances in East Germany - there the CDU is fighting for Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff before the state elections, sometimes doggedly with the AfD.
Probably for this reason, Haseloff had meanwhile drummed more than loudly for Söder.
CDU: Merz gets louder after Laschet freestyle - scolding for Baerbock, Habeck and the Greens
In two interviews, Merz now targeted Baerbock. "I have serious doubts that Baerbock can be Chancellor," said Merz in the podcast "Die Wochenester" of the
Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger
and the editorial network Germany (RND). The Greens are "predominantly a one-topic party". Baerbock also lacks any international experience, apart from the fact that she studied international law. “That this corresponds to the zeitgeist may be. I don't want to follow the zeitgeist, I want to have a say in the zeitgeist, ”added Merz.
In the
Spiegel
, Merz said that Baerbock's nomination did not surprise him.
Your co-party leader Robert Habeck would have been too risky in his opinion.
“The man simply has too many knowledge gaps.” Baerbock is a “very serious opponent,” admitted Merz.
But he also emphasized: “The lack of professional and government experience simply speaks against them.
In addition, the Greens are still too narrowed to the topic of ecology and too little firm on other topics. "
Gendern: Merz expresses fundamental concerns - "Who gives moderators the right to change the rules of our language?"
With gender, Merz picked out another polarizing topic. He considers the growing compulsion to use gender-equitable language to be "legally vulnerable," said Merz to the
mirror
. "In my opinion, there is a cultural consensus in the republic - the vast majority of people reject gender language."
In addition to universities, Merz also criticized TV presenters for their linguistic rules.
"Who gives news presenters the right to simply change the rules for using our language in their programs?" Merz reminded them that France had forbidden all state institutions to use gender-equitable language.
"The French apparently have a better sensitivity for the cultural value of their very beautiful language," said Merz.
Especially in socially responsible positions “not everyone can do it the way they might like”.
Laschet receives a clear demand from Lower Saxony: Include Merz in the team
The demands came from Lower Saxony to lead Merz more strongly in the election campaign. In a team, Merz should be involved with his economic and political competence, demanded state party leader Bernd Althusmann. Laschet should accept Merz's offer to be involved, and Merz should “work, collaborate, get involved in the Union,” emphasized the CDU regional chief. The CDU must "fulfill the entire spectrum of society, but also our party to a certain extent".
In line with this, Merz had announced that he wanted to lead an election campaign in the eastern federal states.
"I will certainly make one or the other campaign appearance there." However, this will be done in close coordination with the election campaign management of the CDU. said the former Union parliamentary group leader, who is applying in a constituency in the Sauerland to return to the Bundestag.
Friedrich Merz missed Söder's swipe - "no diffuse movement that relies on a leader"
However, Merz also had a swipe at Markus Söder (CSU), who is currently more popular in surveys. Merz, who had supported CDU boss Armin Laschet in the Union's candidate for chancellor, warned the CDU / CSU against dreaming of a populist movement. "It is a value in itself that the CDU and CSU are two independent parties in a union and not a diffuse movement that relies on a leader who everyone is chasing," says Merz der
Spiegel
.
In some neighboring countries you can see how risky it is for parties to become movements. “Look at Austria or France. That may work for a while. But if things go wrong, if the leader fails or resigns and there is suddenly no broader offer in the political center, then it becomes extremely dangerous for the whole country, ”warned Merz.
In the days of struggle with Armin Laschet for the Union's candidacy for chancellor, Söder had repeatedly referred to his good poll numbers. In the capital press the thesis was also circulating that Söder wanted to imitate the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and transform the Union into a person-centered movement - this was expressed by the deputy
world
editor-in-chief Robin Alexander in the TV talk "Phoenix Runde ". (
fn / dpa / AFP
)
