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Candidates Helge Braun, Norbert Röttgen and Friedrich Merz (from left to right) at their round of introductions on December 1st
Photo: Andreas Gora / POOL / EPA
For the first time in its history, the CDU began a member survey on Saturday to determine a new party leader.
The approximately 400,000 CDU members can vote by postal vote or online until December 16 about the successor to Armin Laschet.
The outgoing Chancellery Minister Helge Braun, ex-parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz and the former Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen have applied.
The results of the survey will be presented on January 17th.
If no applicant has an absolute majority, a runoff election is necessary.
It would start on December 29th and last until January 12th, 2022.
The final decision on the new chairman should then be made by the 1001 delegates at a digital party congress on 21./22.
January meet.
The choice must then be confirmed by postal vote.
Matches on Corona, Climate and Foreign Policy
During a joint introduction of the three candidates on Wednesday, many similarities became clear.
All three argued, for example, that the Union should involve more people with a migration background and become more attractive for women.
There was also a lot of agreement on the fight against the corona pandemic, climate and foreign policy.
Röttgen and Merz had already run for chairmanship at the beginning of the year - and then lost to Laschet at a party congress.
On Saturday he told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that he would have liked to change a lot, “but I just didn't have enough time”.
“I am delighted that all the candidates for the party chairmanship are now declaring that we have to emphasize the social more, that we need more diversity, that we need more women in leadership positions and that we need more people with an immigrant background.
When I ran for the CDU chairmanship, all of this was still my unique selling point, now everyone wants it. "
"We have to learn from past mistakes"
The Union had its worst result so far in the federal election.
The SPD, Greens and FDP want to form the first traffic light coalition at federal level in the coming days and thus send the Union into the opposition.
Chairperson Röttgen suggested letting the members of the CDU and CSU decide on the Union's candidacy for chancellor if there are several candidates.
"We have to learn from past mistakes," he told the Rheinische Post and the Bonn General-Anzeiger.
»I therefore want the Union parties' next candidate for chancellor to be decided jointly between the CDU and CSU: Who is the right person to win the election?
When there are two candidates again, the members of the CDU and CSU should decide who will. «Röttgen had already made a similar statement this week on the Phoenix television station.
In the spring, Laschet had fought a power struggle with CSU boss Markus Söder over the Union's candidacy for chancellor, which Laschet won.
During the election campaign there were repeated critical tones from the CSU in the direction of the CDU boss.
jme / dpa / AFP