After a year, Friedrich Merz – Union is still looking for its center

Just in time for the CSU retreat in Seeon and in the year of the Bavarian elections, Merz spreads unity with Söder – while things are bubbling up in the CDU. After three years of ongoing disputes about Angela Merkel’s legacy, Merz wanted and should actually change Merkel’s “modernization course” a year ago when he was elected the 10th federal chairman and take the path towards conservatism in the modern age. But the steps to get there are still controversial.

These days, the party’s internal wings are arguing about answers to the migration question. The rift in the Union became apparent in early December when the Bundestag discussed the traffic light coalition’s residence law.

The parliamentary group discussed heatedly whether well-integrated tolerated people should be given the prospect of staying. Contrary to internal guidelines, 20 Union MPs did not reject the law, but abstained. Merkel’s head of the chancellery, Helge Braun, was one of them, as were ex-federal ministers such as Hermann Gröhe and ex-candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet – all of them advocates of a liberal course.

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Since then, the CDU has been talking about the “dirty dozen”. Dirty, because it was violent, it was suggested that people should leave the party and leaked internal information from meetings. And after the New Year’s Eve riots with outbreaks of violence against the police and fire brigade, the argument continued happily.

Integration, migration and immigration are discussed

Member of the Executive Committee Jens Spahn saw the riots as evidence of failed integration. Board member Serap Güler, one of the self-proclaimed “confessors” because she had not rejected the Residence Act, publicly contradicted it.

>> Read here: Young, pragmatic, conservative – How Boris Rhein and his colleagues are changing the CDU

At the end of the month, the parliamentary group now wants to openly discuss and try to find a common position on integration, migration and immigration. “We will not look for the lowest common denominator, as under Angela Merkel, but for the greatest common denominator,” said the parliamentary group. Merz let the majority decide, not the minority.

However, Merz has already determined who the minority is. He explained the social wing, organized in the Christian Democratic Workers’ Association (CDA) – and publicly at the employers’ day. There he rejected CDA demands for more adherence to collective agreements and made it clear: the suggestion to intervene in collective bargaining autonomy had been made “by a small part of the party”.

This topic is also sensitive within the party. For months, the People’s Party’s basic program commission has been recalibrating social policy, for example how it intends to finance the security systems.

This Wednesday, 300 works councils from all over Germany and the DGB boss Yasmin Fahimi are expected at the works council conference in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus. “The works council conference is a good opportunity for Friedrich Merz to show that he can and wants to listen,” said CDA Vice Dennis Radtke. Together with “a self-confident social wing” it is possible to make it clear that “the interests of industrial workers are best served by the CDU”.

Secretary General Czaja is under criticism

The head of the commission, Carsten Linnemann, is meanwhile self-critical. The party must become “louder,” he said. The weakness in the past year was not being able to provide answers to the questions of the time. “We have to lead debates like the one about immigration constructively and give the answer with our basic program.” It is his job to bring the ends together. “The year 2023 will be the year of content renewal,” he announced.

But the party is not only looking for content. Closely related to this is the question of who organizes the party and converts the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus into the campaign headquarters. Criticism is repeatedly directed at Mario Czaja: the Secretary General lacks profile, visibility and sympathy, there have been unfortunate statements, some speak of a “communication disaster”. In addition, Merz has already separated from important employees three times.

>> Also read here: Söder – “Definitely no more ambitions” for chancellor candidacy

Now, with Christoph Hoppe, an old companion without stable smell and election campaign experience should put the party on the right track. There is hardly any time: In the fall, the CDU must defend power in Hesse – and the CSU in Bavaria. No wonder Boris Rhein, Prime Minister and top candidate in Hesse, attended the CSU retreat in Seeon.

“The CDU has more construction sites than we do,” said a CSU MP in Seeon, describing the situation. The CDU said diplomatically: “We are still in the process of consolidation and reorganization.”

More: The new power – the federal states are again using the Bundesrat to assert interests in the federal government.

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