Merz threatens Zoff at the CDU party conference: women's quota dispute on Friday - Süssmuth refers to the Greens

Created: 09/09/2022, 11:10 am

By: Victoria Krumbeck

The CDU party chairman Friedrich Merz.

© Political Moments/IMAGO

The CDU meets on Friday and Saturday in Hanover.

The party congress is about the women's quota - and also about Friedrich Merz.

• CDU party conference in Hanover: Controversial debate on women's quota expected.

• Women's quota at the CDU party conference: Rita Süssmuth advocates a women's quota.

• This news ticker for the CDU party conference is continuously updated.

Munich/Hanover - The 35th party conference of the CDU will take place in Hanover on Friday and Saturday.

Last but not least, the party wants to put pressure on the traffic lights for energy prices - the central motion of the federal executive board should do the trick.

Yes, even if it is not in the interests of the CDU: the women's quota should be the main media topic at this party congress.

The former women's quota opponent and party leader Friedrich Merz is pushing for the regulation.

The proposal is controversial.

Merz approached the quota opponents and presented a compromise.

CDU party conference: debate about women's quota splits the party

CDU federal vice president Silvia Breher also urged the introduction of a temporary quota for women at the party conference on Friday.

"We have too few women in our party and we should now work together - men and women - to finally change that," Breher told the

.

"For me, the women's quota is part of it."

Just 25 percent of party members are women.

For her, however, the quota is only one of the instruments to get more women involved in the CDU: "Above all, we have to improve the framework conditions," Breher told the newspaper.

The Structure and Statutes Commission has developed various proposals for this, such as binding time windows for meetings and digital formats.

CDU party conference: Rita Süssmuth advocates a quota for women

Former Bundestag President Rita Süssmuth also called on her party to introduce a women's quota.

"In this difficult European and global political situation, a broad political participation of women must be visible," said the 85-year-old dpa.

Women are "urgently needed in the search for problem solutions, concrete help and alternatives to war"

Former Bundestag President Rita Süssmuth (CDU).

© APress/IMAGO

Süssmuth explained that the SPD, the Greens and the Left had achieved a high proportion of women in the Bundestag by statute law.

That is also necessary in the CDU and must be possible.

Improving the participation of women includes improving the structural conditions: "Social security, professional working hours in certain phases of life for women and men, changing the offers in parliament and outside to reduce one-sided burdens," she demanded.

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Women's quota at the CDU party conference also gets dissenting votes

At the same time, Süssmuth warned her party about the negative effects of the quota dispute.

"The never-ending quarrels divide and weaken us - now it depends on old and new strengths," she said, adding: "This party congress must strengthen our cohesion and reduce polarization."

Union faction Vice Mathias Middelberg (CDU) struggled with the timing of the vote.

"In the dramatic situation that Germany is in, we have to provide answers as to how citizens and our companies can pay their gas and electricity bills," Middelberg told

.

Foreign, economic and financial policy are the focus.

"The women's quota is really not a main issue." The business wing of the CDU and the Junge Union (JU) also reject a quota.

CDU party conference: Merz proposes a compromise in the women's quota debate

The proposal by the CDU federal executive board stipulates that by 2025, starting with board elections at district level, a women's quota of up to 50 percent should be gradually introduced.

A women's quota of 30 percent is to be introduced at the beginning of next year, and 40 percent a year later.

As before, the 50 percent mark should be reached by July 1, 2025.

The proposal also includes a 50 percent quota for the first ten list places in state, federal and European elections.

According to the Merz proposal, the quota should expire on December 31, 2029.

If Merz didn't prevail with his compromise proposal, he would have suffered the first defeat in his term of office, which has lasted since the end of January.

The vote on the women's quota is expected on Friday evening.

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