Before the CDU party conference: Merz hopes for a lot of approval – the state of the party is “sobering”
Created: 01/21/2022, 16:33
By: Momir Takac
Friedrich Merz is already designated party leader.
He is to be elected the new chairman at a party conference on Saturday.
He sees the CDU facing a difficult task.
Berlin – Friedrich Merz mastered the obligation at the third attempt, now only the freestyle is missing: On Saturday, the 66-year-old is to be elected the new party leader of the CDU at an online party conference.
In December 2021, Merz had already been selected with 62.1 percent as the successor to Armin Laschet, who failed as a candidate for chancellor.
It was the first member survey on party leadership in the history of the CDU.
CDU party congress: Merz hopes for great approval when elected chairman
The election of Merz at the party congress is considered safe.
The economist is hoping for a lot of approval there.
"An eight in front would be nice," said Merz of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" with a view to the percentage result.
Merz and the CDU are getting tailwind from the Union voters, as the latest Germany trend from Infratest dimap on behalf of the ARD
morning magazine
shows.
He sees the CDU facing a difficult task after the bitter defeat in the federal elections.
"We have only reached 24.1 percent of the voters and 19 percent of those eligible to vote in Germany," analyzed Merz in the
SZ
.
"It almost doesn't get any more brutal than that." The state of the party was "sobering" and he called the situation among young voters "dramatic".
CDU party conference: Friedrich Merz faces a difficult task as chairman
In the ARD
morning magazine
, Merz said that the CDU, as a “middle party”, had to permanently bind voter groups “across all generations” and “all forms of living together”.
The "big question" is whether the CDU can remain a people's party and achieve election results of "well over 30 percent" again.
With his election at the party conference on Saturday, which is considered safe, Merz's path to power is still not official.
Since the event will be held online, the election must be finally confirmed by postal vote.
The CDU wants to announce the result on January 31st.
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