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CDU boss Laschet in front of the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus: "I translate our values and principles into modern times"
Photo: Frederic Kern / Future Image / imago images
CSU boss Markus Söder recently accused Armin Laschet of an old-fashioned political approach.
The Union candidate for chancellor apparently did not want to leave it that way.
"In recent years, I had the impression that some in the CSU criticized me for my ideas for modernizing our society and our country," said the CDU boss of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
An urban and socially diverse state like North Rhine-Westphalia "can only be won with a progressive agenda and a modern management style," added North Rhine-Westphalia's Prime Minister.
"That also applies to Germany."
Söder had also described his own political approach in the »SZ« as »perhaps a little more progressive« than that of the CDU chairman.
He himself stands for modernization.
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In the interview, Laschet also rejected the accusation that environmental and climate protection were of insufficient importance in his thinking, but also addressed the impact on jobs.
"Our exit from coal is not a decoration," says Laschet.
“We tackled the coal phase-out first and now the lignite phase-out.
We can do structural change.
The restructuring of the chemical industry, the steel industry, the automotive industry - that is a task of the century. «The industry must not migrate, it would not serve the world climate.
He also always said that he »didn't want a one-man show«.
"We need a team in which the different currents are visible - this is how I put my cabinet in North Rhine-Westphalia together." He lacks the breadth of currents in the list of the current federal government.
"It has to be different in the next cabinet," said Laschet.
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Laschet also said on Radio Bremen that he had to "smile" when, after years of criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkel, the CSU now claims that one has to orientate oneself on the zeitgeist. The renewed debate between the Union party leaders is fueled by polls that see the Union partly behind the Greens. In CDU circles, Söder is accused of harming the Union with his renewed attacks.
In the Nürnberger Nachrichten, Söder described the fact that he would be aiming for a candidate for chancellor again in four years as “extremely unlikely”.
"Because either Armin Laschet will rule for the next term of office or we will experience a very long term of office for a young Federal Chancellor," added Söder, referring to the Green Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock.
"Because nobody should underestimate that: the Union is in a serious emergency."
jus / Reuters
