Is the Union now united behind Armin Laschet?
Not even close.
CSU General Secretary Markus Blume shoots again openly against the candidate for Chancellor at “Markus Lanz”.
Hamburg - “Markus Lanz” on Wednesday evening is mainly about one question: How will the election campaign with CDU leader Armin Laschet end - and how much support will he get from his own party? After all, Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder is still seen by some as a “candidate of the hearts”. Gregor Peter Schmitz, the editor-in-chief of
Augsburger Allgemeine,
says: "It is the first time in Markus Söder's life that Markus Söder is popular." The journalist's thesis: The CSU now sees the CDU as an obsolete model.
But what does that mean for the upcoming federal election?
CSU General Secretary Markus Blume faced critical questions from ZDF presenter Markus Lanz on Wednesday and meekly admits that a “joint government program” with the CDU will not be developed “too early”.
At the same time, Blume indirectly distances himself from Laschet as a candidate for chancellor - he says that “the overall responsibility” for the election campaign lies “very much” with the CDU.
A common “we can do it” sounds different.
"Markus Lanz" - these were his guests on April 28th:
Markus Blume - CSU General Secretary
Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus - FDP health politician
Gregor Peter Schmitz - Editor-in-Chief of the "Augsburger Allgemeine"
Dr.
Dirk Heinrich - ENT doctor and medical director of the Hamburg vaccination center
Blume can also elicit that the CDU currently "still has a few things to clarify with itself in order to provide a little more motivation".
A clear joke against Laschet, whose polls have so far always lagged behind those of Söder.
In an interview with Lanz, the CSU General Secretary added: “With Markus Söder, the path would have been easier.
But as a Union we obviously love the challenge - and that's why we are going this way now. "
CSU General Secretary Markus Blume: "We don't have to hide Armin Laschet as a candidate for Chancellor"
Lanz decidedly questioned whether the CSU boss would fight for Laschet and the Union's victory in the federal election despite his election defeat. Markus Blume answers this question with a hesitant “Yes”. Schmitz intervenes and adds: "If I were Armin Laschet, I would wake up bathed in sweat every night if I could sleep at all." Why? The journalist's assumption: Söder will come back - the fight will "not be over anytime soon". The political approach of the CSU boss? According to Schmitz a “democracy of the mood”.
Blume nods and explains that social media has changed the understanding of democracy. Through them there is “a different expectation of political participation”. It is not enough anymore to say, "We are doing it like 75 years ago", emphasizes Blume, echoing a statement by Söder. Rather, "you are essentially experiencing the struggle over the question: will we remain a people's party as a Union or not?" Finally, Lanz wants to know whether Blume himself would distribute election posters for Laschet. The visibly indignant reaction of the politician: “Sorry, we don't have to hide Armin Laschet as candidate for Chancellor.” Lanz promptly suggests that this would work wonderfully as a poster idea: “Armin Laschet, CDU - we don't have to hide him”.
FDP health politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus loses her composure on "Markus Lanz" (ZDF): "Now stop it!"
The vaccination summit is also a topic at “Markus Lanz”. Markus Blume and FDP health politician Christine Aschenberg-Dugnus clash. Aschenberg-Dugnus asserts: “We are here in the digital Stone Age in Germany. We could do vaccination management much better if we were better digitized. " The recently passed curfew is a thorn in the side of the Liberals: “We have to take the virus seriously. The mutants are also very dangerous, but we have to look carefully. The Vaccination Protection Act has considerable constitutional protection problems. " Aschenberg-Dugnus continues: “You are only giving the citizens their way to the Federal Constitutional Court. Is that really what you want to say to the citizens? "
Markus Blume counters with a surprised look: “We are in the middle of the third wave and I hope that our common political goal is to end the third wave as quickly as possible?
Then the common goal must be that we are on the way with effective measures. ”The fact is:“ Before we had a patchwork quilt and, to be honest, it was also due to the fact that we had no legal basis. ”
In conclusion, he taunts: “You no longer want to be a representative of the people ?!
I can hear that from you. "
The FDP politician is stunned: “So now stop it.
That's rubbish."
"Markus Lanz" - the conclusion of the show
There is a lot going on at “Markus Lanz” on Wednesday evening. Not just between FDP health politician Aschenberg-Dugnus and CSU General Blume. In particular, Blume's taunts against candidate for chancellor and CDU boss Armin Laschet show how much work-up is necessary to get a joint party program off the ground. The heated atmosphere seems to please one person above all: ZDF presenter Markus Lanz. In the ZDF broadcast, he observes with relish: "The election campaign has begun, I have the feeling."
