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Armin Laschet: "Stand by for talks for a so-called Jamaica coalition"
Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa
CDU leader Armin Laschet has announced a renewal of his party after the historically poor election result of the Union.
A result below 30 percent is not the Union's claim as a people's party, said the chancellor candidate after consultations with the party committees in Berlin.
The results of the CDU were particularly drastic in the east.
The Union had crashed in the federal election from 32.9 percent in 2017 to 24.1 percent.
There is absolutely no question that the result "cannot, may and will" not satisfy the Union, said Laschet.
The Union caught up in the final sprint and prevented red-red-green.
But at the same time there were painful losses and not enough for first place.
Of course, he knows that he also has a personal part in it.
The result will be worked on intensively.
Regardless of whether the Union comes under government responsibility, there must be renewal at all levels.
Despite the drastic losses, Laschet continues to seek explorations about the formation of a new government.
The board of directors and the presidium of the CDU agree "that we are ready for talks for a so-called Jamaica coalition," said the CDU chief.
No party could derive a government mandate from the result - not the Union, but neither did the SPD.
Chancellor will be the person who has a majority in the Bundestag behind them.
This is a moment in which popular parties with the claim to election results of around 30 percent have to appear humbly in front of the voters.
CSU boss Markus Söder also announced a comprehensive review and error analysis.
"We mustn't gloss over it," said the Bavarian Prime Minister after a meeting of the CSU board in Munich.
The Union should not just go back to business now.
Söder emphasized that the work-up was linked to "no return games or additional criticism" of Laschet. "It is important that we now deal seriously with it", the Union must be "honest" with an analysis. "It is a very serious time for the Union." Renewal is best done in government.
Söder said that the Union as runner-up had no right to form a government. Nevertheless, she stands by her offer for talks about a Jamaican coalition with the FDP and the Greens. Government participation should not take place at any price. Union contours should remain visible. The CSU sees itself in such an alliance as a social conscience, for example in pension policy and on the subject of housing benefits. There is also content that is important to the CSU. These include the waiver of tax increases and sticking to the debt brake.
Söder emphasized that it was a very disappointing result for the entire Union: "Yes, it was a defeat." Anyone who loses so many votes like the Union cannot reinterpret the result.
It is particularly painful that the Union has performed poorly in many areas of competence, including actual core areas such as internal security or economic policy.
"There was a tendency to switch," said Söder.
Nevertheless, at least the CSU "got away with a black eye in some places."
As an example, he mentioned that the CSU had won 45 of the 46 direct mandates in Bavaria.
The party is not united behind Laschet
Laschet also commented on a sensitive personality. He announced that he would propose Ralph Brinkhaus for re-election as chairman of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group. He would bring this up with Söder, said Laschet. How this should be done formally will be clarified in the course of the day. In the press conference, Laschet left it open as to whether Brinkhaus should initially only hold the post on a provisional basis.
Previously, in the party's presidium meeting, there had been a dispute about the Brinkhaus personnel. According to SPIEGEL information, Laschet had proposed that Brinkhaus should initially continue the chairmanship on a provisional basis, i.e. not apply to the parliamentary group in the election originally planned for Tuesday. According to the participants, Laschet emphasized that this approach had been coordinated with Söder. But Brinkhaus disagreed according to reports and said he wanted to be re-elected for a year first. At first the "Welt" reported about it.
At the meeting it became clear that the party is not united behind Laschet. Even Laschet supporters made no secret of their displeasure with the result, according to participants. Karl-Josef Laumann, who is a minister in Laschet's government in North Rhine-Westphalia, said of the defeat: “The agency was bad. The candidate too if you lose. It has always been like this. Quite simply. «Laumann therefore warned that the Union was playing the» amplifier of the FDP «in a Jamaican alliance. Herbert Reul, also a Laschet intimate, called the result "a catastrophe".
Laschet also received some clear support at the meeting.
For example, ex-party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said: "I stand by my decision for Armin Laschet." The result is not due to the candidate, but to "our substance, which has become weaker".
Greens see priority for traffic light conversations
However, it is questionable whether the Union’s Jamaica ambitions can be implemented.
In view of the outcome of the election, the Greens see priority for talks with the SPD and FDP about the formation of a traffic light coalition.
According to the election results, the SPD is ahead, "this results in a pre-discussion with the SPD and the FDP," said party leader Robert Habeck.
The traffic light is »the most obvious option«.
However, this does not rule out speaking to the Union as well.
Co-party leader Annalena Baerbock also emphasized that it was crucial to "tackle the renewal of this country" now.
Climate protection must be a cross-sectional task across all departments.
"Robert Habeck and I will hold talks with the other parties," also announced Baerbock.
In a first phase, these should take place "in a protected space" and also "in a smaller circle".
asa / dpa
