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"I admit it is extraordinary," says Friedrich Merz about his third attempt at the CDU party chairmanship
Photo: Tobias Schwarz / AFP
The application for the party chairmanship of the CDU is entering the decisive phase.
This week there will be online discussion events at which the three possible successors of Armin Laschet - Friedrich Merz, Norbert Röttgen and Helge Braun - will answer questions from their party members.
The beginning was made on Monday by Friedrich Merz.
He spoke out against resolving important questions in the party through member surveys in the future.
"Member surveys and this form of participation in management decisions must remain the exception," said Merz.
After the historically poor performance in the Bundestag election in December, the CDU is holding a member survey on the future party chairman for the first time in its history.
Merz, however, wants the party leadership to involve the members more “in the factual questions, in the issues”: “I want this party to think more from the bottom up again.” But he still claims to lead the party.
"Yes, there is something irrational about it"
When asked by one of the participants in the discussion why it was about to run again, Merz said: "Yes, there is something irrational about it." Parts of his family and many friends have also asked him about his motivation, now for the third time Apply for party presidency.
In February, after his defeat by the outgoing party leader Armin Laschet, Merz asked himself for a few weeks: "Do you want to do this again?"
In the end, he was asked to run again for the Bundestag in the Hochsauerlandkreis.
In this context he decided for himself that if the grassroots were to be involved in the decision on the party chairmanship, "then I will and I cannot avoid the wish to run again".
"I admit it's extraordinary," said Merz.
There has never been anything like it in the history of the CDU.
But the CDU is a very important part of his life.
The approximately 400,000 members are called in December to vote online or by postal vote on the successor to Armin Laschet.
The discussion with Norbert Röttgen will take place this Wednesday, and Helge Braun will be on Thursday.
On December 1st, all three candidates will then answer questions from the members before they vote.
atb / dpa / AFP
