Berlin He wanted to get “an eight before the decimal point”, but it was a nine after all: Friedrich Merz was elected the new chairman of the CDU with 94.6 percent. This was announced by General Secretary Paul Ziemiak in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus, from which a federal party conference will be held for the first time in the history of the party, digitally in view of the all-dominant pandemic. In the member survey in December, Merz received 62.1 percent of the votes, a clear vote for the conservative economic politician, who had twice tried in vain to break the majority of the party’s social wing and women’s union.
One time (2018) Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer was just ahead of him, the other time Armin Laschet (2021). Now his victory still has to be confirmed by letter from the delegates, then he’ll be perfect on January 31st.
“I am deeply moved and impressed by this election result,” said Merz, close to tears. “This is a strong order and a great mandate.”
The 66-year-old, who sat for the CDU in the European Parliament and in the Bundestag from 1994 to 2009 and has been a member of the Federal Parliament again since autumn, had already outlined in a keynote speech how he imagined the future of the CDU. Merz named three central tasks: being a “powerful opposition in the federal government”, winning the next state elections and developing your own ideas and working out a new basic program. The party should no longer argue or “diverge in all directions”, otherwise the way back to responsibility in the federal government would “possibly be very long”.
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The new chairman named a few cornerstones for the program. So “the social is a constitutive part of the market economy” and not just the “repair operation of capitalism”. A central promise of Catholic social teaching has also not yet been kept: “The participation of employees in productive capital.” Freedom, responsibility, the protection of the family and opportunities for children are important to him. He called the “activating welfare state”.
“We are liberal and open, social and conservative at the same time. That’s conservative in the best sense of the word,” said Merz. He urged everyone in the party that 2021 should not be repeated. “Courage and cheerfulness,” he recommended to the members. People should notice “that we enjoy our work”. Then the Union would be re-elected.
Merz also used the speech to attack the new federal government and especially Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). He had announced leadership in the election campaign. Now Merz asked: “Which leadership do you mean?” Scholz wanted general vaccination, but did not present a draft law. Despite the Ukraine crisis, he was neither in Washington nor in Moscow. “All of their predecessors had shown leadership in this situation.” Inflation is higher than it has been for years. Scholz did not answer. “We are committed to political leadership.”
The new chairman thanked the old chairman. Armin Laschet was fully committed and took full responsibility for the defeat. “We would have liked to have won this federal election together, we have now lost it together,” he emphasized. As a gift for him and Ziemiak there was a tablet with special apps: for Laschet a photo book, links to his favorite clubs and favorite vacation spots. And also international newspaper subscriptions – unlimited in time.
Laschet: “Merz is exactly the right person at this time.”
His predecessor Laschet had previously said goodbye to the party with impressive words. He appealed to the unity and the importance of the 384,000 members to government participation in the federal states. “Strong base, strong team” is the title of the party congress for a reason. At the same time, Laschet refrained from settling accounts with his opponents. Only so much: It was “a year like a roller coaster”. “And: It will never happen again that the CDU and CSU argue like this.” A dispute that began with the refugee crisis and didn’t want to end.
Laschet thanked Merz for his support and loyalty and said to the political opponent: “Dress warmly, the CDU will be back. Friedrich Merz is exactly the right person at this time.”
The 60-year-old Rhinelander Laschet not only lost the party chairmanship and the race for the chancellorship, but also the office as prime minister in North Rhine-Westphalia. In the future, he wants to devote himself to Middle East politics as a simple member of the Bundestag.
The delegates choose a new team
The delegates will elect the entire management team by the afternoon. Merz had already asked Mario Czaja to become his general secretary. The 46-year-old was once a senator for social affairs in Berlin and should use this expertise to appease the social wing. Julia Klöckner (49) had offered Merz the office of federal treasurer instead of deputy party chairman. She has to arrange the party finances in view of the bitter defeat in the federal elections and will have the task of collecting donations.
The outgoing treasurer Philipp Murmann pointed out that fortunately there was a surplus of 28.9 million euros in 2020. However, given the 2021 defeats, future years would be “very challenging” to keep the party “campaign capable.”
The close “Team Merz” supplement five deputies: Carsten Linnemann (44), member of the Bundestag from Paderborn and previously head of the SME union. He will play a central role in the renewal of the party and will lead the policy program committee. In addition, he receives employees and his own office in the Konrad-Adenauerhaus.
Karin Prien (56), Schleswig-Holstein Minister of Education, represents the liberal wing; Andreas Jung (46), member of the Bundestag from Konstanz, stands for the climate and financial policy of the party; As Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer (46) is said to embody East German concerns; Silvia Breher (48) will support family and agricultural policy as well as rural areas. The mother of three represents the conservative Lower Saxony Cloppenburg and Vechta in the Bundestag.
There are also seven members of the Executive Committee. However, there are eight to choose from: In addition to the previous party deputy Jens Spahn, these are: Bernd Althusmann, state chairman in Lower Saxony and economics minister there; Ines Claus, leader of the parliamentary group in the Hessian state parliament and possible successor to Volker Bouffier, also as Minister President; Reiner Haseloff, Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt; Ronja Kemmer, head of the Young Group in the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and digital politician; Karl-Josef Laumann, head of the employee wing CDA; Ina Scharrenbach, Minister of Construction in North Rhine-Westphalia, and Annette Widmann-Mauz, Head of the Women’s Union.
On top of that, the federal executive board will be re-determined. Here, too, 21 women and 18 men are candidates for a total of 26 places.
More: The Union faction in the Bundestag is reorganizing itself