CDU Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet is said to have an emergency plan in North Rhine-Westphalia if the federal election in 2021 goes bankrupt.
Now he reacts clearly.
Update from May 7th, 2:11 pm:
"My place is in Berlin after the general election," explains Armin Laschet in an interview with the
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
- apparently based on a standard sentence from his ex-rival Markus Söder. He probably wants to nip the discussions about a possible return to Düsseldorf in the bud. In the past few days, the impression had arisen that the CDU chief would keep a back door open to North Rhine-Westphalia in the event of a defeat in the federal election in September. He now clearly denies that. He wanted to become Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany and fight with all his might for a victory for the Union.
The Prime Minister from North Rhine-Westphalia kept it open whether he wanted to become the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag if he lost the election.
“I'm running to win the election.
The party and parliamentary group decide who will do what when and how, based on the votes of the voters, ”Laschet told the newspaper.
In any case, the question of Laschet's future beyond the Chancellery arises.
At the moment, the Greens are ahead of the Union in polls with top candidate Annalena Baerbock.
In the event of a defeat by the Chancellor: does CDU leader Armin Laschet keep the way back to NRW open?
First report from May 7th:
Berlin / Düsseldorf - The Union is simply not coming to rest. The question of the chancellor between Bavaria's Markus Söder (CSU) and NRW state chief Armin Laschet (CDU) was only clarified in a polarizing power struggle. Now it is apparently rumbling in the ranks of the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia - that is, where Laschet (still) has the say. Reports suggest: It is possible that the candidate for chancellor is already using a trick to keep the withdrawal to NRW open.
First point of contention: As the
Spiegel
reports, a power struggle for the Laschet successor has broken out in the largest German state (around 17.9 million inhabitants).
Accordingly, three party grandees want to become CDU regional chief (in) and prime minister (in): Ina Schnarrenbach, Minister for Homeland, Local Affairs, Building and Equality;
Interior Minister Herbert Reul and Transport Minister Hendrik Wüst.
Armin Laschet (CDU) in North Rhine-Westphalia: Is the Union's candidate for chancellor holding a back door?
A black-yellow coalition of the CDU and FDP will rule in NRW until May 2022.
If Laschet wins the federal election in 2021, a transitional head of government would have to come from Düsseldorf - or a new boss.
Der
Spiegel
quotes Minister Wüst as saying: "One thing is clear: We in North Rhine-Westphalia will not repeat a theater like the one in Berlin over the past few days." However, it is currently unclear whether this plan will come true.
We will not repeat a theater like the one in Berlin.
NRW Transport Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU)
Because: there is obviously a second point of contention.
As the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
and
Der Spiegel
unanimously report, the current CDU state chairman Laschet is planning to postpone a state party conference originally planned for early summer into October.
Allegedly to enable a face-to-face event with as many delegates as possible in the coronavirus pandemic as the pace of corona vaccination progresses.
Armin Laschet's candidacy for chancellor in the 2021 federal election - unrest in the CDU in North Rhine-Westphalia
The
SZ
, on the other hand, writes that Laschet wanted to prevent the 45-year-old Wüst from becoming the new CDU state chief - with which he could run as the party's top candidate for the state election in 2022. Laschet wants to keep a back door open in the event of an election defeat, it says in both reports. And that doesn't suit everyone in the North Rhine-Westphalian CDU.
According to
Spiegel
, the native of Aachen had originally promised to move to Berlin even in the event of a defeat in the federal election in 2021 (September 26, 2021).
But this is now on the brink.
In circles of the NRW CDU, on the other hand, he was accused of taking care of his successor too late.
For rather desperate power tactical considerations?
Remarks by Reul also recently pointed in this direction.
Armin Laschet: No chance against Annalena Baerbock?
Setback in polls for the 2021 federal election
The latest
ARD
Germany trend is likely to worry the Union when it comes to the successor to long-time Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU).
The Greens around Chancellor candidate Annalena Baerbock were - as of May 6 - far ahead of Laschet and CDU / CSU.
In this Sunday question, the Union came to just 23 percent.
Baerbock and the Greens, on the other hand, are at 26 percent - and could ultimately try to form a government.
It will be exciting in the coming months.
In the covenant.
In NRW.
And for Laschet.
(pm)
