Shortly after 10.30 am, CDU party leader Armin Laschet (60) took the stage at the Junge Union (JU) Germany Day – and the sounds of “I Gotta Feeling” from the “Black Eyed Peas” came out of the boxes. The text says: “Tonight’s gonna be a good night”.
“Today will be a good night”. A motto that could sum up this Germany Day. The Junge Union calls for renewal, plans to break out.
Laschet calls for the cell phone to be aborted!
“The fact that you can read the CDU federal executive in the live ticker was already a weakening in the election campaign,” said the still-CDU party leader. He was alluding to indiscretions in the bodies of the party and the Union in the Jamaica explorations. BILD had published the Union leaks and exclusively revealed secret content of the conversation.
Laschet is now drawing tough consequences for board and presidium meetings: “Now there is a ban on cell phones here. As long as I am CDU chairman, this cell phone ban applies! ”He already announced this at the last board meeting.
And: He advises every successor as party leader to enforce this. Applause from the ranks of the audience.
Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (41, CDU) also gave immediate support for the cell phone ban violation: “You have to develop mistrust, not the other way around,” he said in his speech at the JU-Tag. “Maybe we should approach each other again with this spirit. And if that means that we leave out the cell phones in the meetings, then it is better that way. ”
Spahn: “Then we’ll leave them out”. Big applause from the audience.
CDU is not a restructuring case
Laschet militantly started his 36-minute speech at 10:36 am – including a rejection of ex-Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (65), who had called the party a “restructuring case” after the election debacle.
Laschet: “Incidentally, I do not share the formulation (…) that we are just a total restructuring case”. The Union had “a good program”. Now it is a matter of “wisely and intelligently put your finger in the wound” if the future government makes mistakes.
Laschet then also spoke plain language: “We achieved a bitter result. There is nothing to gloss over that. “Health Minister Jens Spahn later added:” It was a shitty election result and so is the situation. There is nothing to talk about. It hurt physically. “
The CDU party leader took responsibility for the Union debacle: “I am responsible for this result.” He added: “I am responsible for the election campaign, the campaign, and nobody else.”
Laschet further: “Even if I would have liked to come to you under different auspices: A CDU chairman must always be with the Junge Union.”
A tip against CSU boss Markus Söder (54), who canceled his participation at short notice? JU boss Tilman Kuban (34) was a little clearer. “Armin, the last few weeks have not been easy for the Union,” he said very slowly and with difficulty. “But you show that you are here today, that you are facing”.
Long applause from the audience. Because: “True greatness is not only evident when the sun is shining, but also when the wind is blowing from the front.” That is why Laschet shows “today character” – a Söder criticism without mentioning the name of the CSU boss to take.
Laschet agrees with the CDU on the opposition
Laschet emphasized that after the debacle in the federal elections almost three weeks ago, “a clear error analysis” was now required: “What was structurally, personally and programmatically wrong?”
And the still-CDU party leader also spoke plainly about the future role of the Union in the Bundestag: In the coming period of opposition, it is important “not to be shrill, not to become clumsy, not to be in the next Bundestag in outbid competition with the two parties, which are also opposition, but to put your fingers in the wounds wisely and intelligently where a future government will do things wrong. “
That’s what the CDU boss says about the traffic lights
In plain language: Laschet expects successful coalition negotiations from the SPD, Greens and FDP and sees the Union on the opposition bench. He found words of praise for the traffic light paper.
► “The paper that was presented is fine. We could have done a lot there too. We will measure them by their deeds, not by a twelve-page piece of paper. “
► The election campaign of the Social Democrats is also recognized by Laschet: “The SPD has shown how to campaign as one. That used to be the strength of the Union. And that must become the strength of the Union again. ”
Combative and self-critical: Armin Laschet on Saturday morning at the Junge Union’s Germany DayPhoto: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
The opponents of the Union would have done everything to prevent the Union in the Chancellery, says Laschet. “This virtue of standing together, we have to learn again if we want to win again.” It should go against the political opponent and “not against each other in the Union family”.
Laschet emphasized that a quick renewal of the CDU / CSU would be possible: As in 1998, the Union could recover quickly after the severe defeat if it positioned itself correctly.
Laschet, on the other hand, is critical of carrying out a member survey for the renewal of the CDU federal executive committee. He was “in principle not against”, but a federal party congress is “still a very good tool for mapping the breadth of the party”. One should not pretend that federal party congresses with more than 1000 delegates overrule the grassroots.
► After an open and honest analysis of the deficits “in the person”, in the campaign and in the content, the focus must also be on the state elections: “We have to do everything we can to ensure that red-green does not have influence again.”
Laschet emphasized that unsparing election analysis of the JU federal executive committee he shares “in almost all points”. With this “honesty” and “openness”, the Union has new opportunities.