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CDU politician Merz: "If we only operate fundamental opposition, then we will remain in opposition for longer than four years."
Photo: via www.imago-images.de / imago images / Political-Moments
The CDU politician Friedrich Merz has indicated to run for the party chairmanship.
"I tend to do that," said Merz on Saturday evening at an appearance in front of the Federal Association of Lesbians and Gays in the Union (LSU), as SPIEGEL learned from participants.
However, it is not just about his person, the future of the CDU would now have to take more Christian Democrats into their hands than just one. "Of course I speak to many," said Merz accordingly. “It is completely clear to me that the image of the CDU cannot be determined solely by white men from North Rhine-Westphalia. We have to be positioned much more broadly. And I'm trying to make that possible too. «There will be clarity» within the next week «.
Merz is increasing the pressure on his possible rival Norbert Röttgen to also present fellow campaigners for a candidacy. Röttgen, who ran against Merz and Armin Laschet for the CDU chairmanship in January, has been exploring his chances in the background for several weeks. At the weekend, however, his ambitions took a turn for the worse. The Rhineland-Palatinate CDU politician Ellen Demuth, who the foreign policy official had presented as chief strategist in January, announced that she would no longer be on his team. There are different opinions about the personnel reorganization of the CDU, she told the broadcaster "n-tv". You wish Röttgen "all the best". The fact that humility overflows into the Merz camp is, however, ruled out.
After the historic debacle in the federal election, the CDU wants to determine the next chairman by polling members. Nominations are possible until November 17th, after which the introductory phase begins. Voting will start on December 3rd. The new chairman is to be confirmed at a party conference in January. In the CDU, it is widely expected that 65-year-old Merz and 56-year-old Röttgen will compete. Surprise candidates are still possible, according to the party. The parliamentary group chairman Ralph Brinkhaus and Health Minister Jens Spahn are also counted among the potential interested parties.
According to participants, Merz warned the CDU against becoming a destructive force in the opposition when he appeared in front of the LSU.
"If we only run fundamental opposition, we will remain in opposition for longer than four years," he said.
The Union must now learn again to work independently and to accompany the work of the coming government critically but constructively.
You have to be able to take over the government at any time, according to Merz.
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