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Markus Söder (l.), CSU party chairman and Prime Minister of Bavaria, and Friedrich Merz (CDU) talk during a walk on the banks of the Kirchsee
Photo: Peter Kneffel / dpa
You look at the cloud-shrouded Alps, a strong storm wind blows around your hair: For the first time after the vote of the CDU base, the designated CDU chairman Friedrich Merz and CSU boss Markus Söder met for a working meeting.
Now Söder has shared the pictures on Instagram and Twitter.
It is a "new start," writes Söder.
"CDU and CSU are coming together again closely." There was "good and intensive coordination" with Merz.
The meeting took place during a strong storm at Kirchsee and in the neighboring Reutberg monastery not far from Bad Tölz.
Merz wore a jacket at the meeting, a Bavarian costume jacket, Söder appeared in a dark blue coat.
The photos are not devoid of staging.
One picture shows the two of them strolling across a footbridge, another together on a bench.
In the picture, which Söder first posted on Instagram, he points resolutely into the distance - Merz, on the other hand, is in the second row.
On the Internet, many users are already labeling the picture ironically.
"It will all be yours one day," writes one.
"We dumped Armin back there," said another.
The relationship between the two sister parties was anything but good last year after a fierce power struggle for the candidacy for chancellor between Söder and Armin Laschet, who is still CDU leader.
Many in the Union see the poor coexistence of the party leaders as one of the main reasons for the Union's defeat in the Bundestag election.
Members want Merz
In mid-December, the CDU base decided in a member survey that Merz should become the new party leader.
The approximately 400,000 party members were able to make a preliminary decision on the chairmanship for the first time in the history of the CDU.
Officially, the new party leader has to be among the 1001 delegates at a digital party conference on 21./22.
January to be elected.
It is considered certain that the delegates will stick to the vote of the members.
Then Merz must be confirmed by postal vote.
What Söder and Merz talked about at their meeting in Bavaria could not be found out at first.
According to reports, it was about the political vote between the two sister parties.
mrc / dpa