There is still no official candidate for the successor to the CDU party leader Armin Laschet (60). But the question arises: Who should become the new party leader, who can master the difficult task and lead the Union out of the crisis?
Since the CDU district chairman conference on Saturday, it has become apparent that the party members should make the decision about Laschet’s successor. At the meeting, the approval for this approach was “overwhelming”, said CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak (36).
BUT: The crucial question is not just HOW the new party leader should be elected. The key question is: WHO? WHO should take over the chairmanship, WHO can lead the CDU out of the crisis?
The opinion research institute INSA asked more than 1000 people for BILD: “Who do you trust to lead the CDU out of the crisis as party chairman or party chairman?”
THE RESULT: 36 percent of those questioned do not trust any of the candidates to lead the CDU out of the crisis. 20 percent do not know or have not given any information.
With 15 percent approval, the most suitable candidate: Ex-Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz (65).
At least 15 percent of all respondents trust Friedrich Merz (65) to lead the Union out of the crisis as party leader. Within the surveyed Union voters, the approval rate is 24 percentPhoto: INA FASSBENDER / AFP
Behind them are Norbert Röttgen (56) and Jens Spahn (42) with eight percent each.
In shared second place among all respondents: Ex-Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen (56, CDU) Photo: JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (41)Photo: Marcel Kusch / dpa
▶ ︎ Behind them: Armin Laschet with 5 percent, Daniel Günther (48) and Michael Kretschmer (46) with 4 percent each and Karin Prien (56), Carsten Linnemann (44) and Tobias Hans (43) each with around 3 percent.
The picture is somewhat more balanced among the Union voters surveyed: Among them, only 17 percent cannot imagine any of the candidates as suitable party leaders. Again the favorite for the post: Merz – 24 percent of those surveyed trust him to lead the CDU out of the crisis as party leader. Röttgen follows in second place with 17 percent approval, and Spahn in third place with 11 percent.
The method of a member survey for the election of the new party chairman is in favor of 46 percent of those surveyed. Within the Union voters, the support for a member survey is even greater: 53 percent would find it good to elect a new party leader in this way.
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And despite the unexplained Laschet successor, a positive signal for the Union: In the current INSA opinion trend for BILD am Sonntag, CDU / CSU come to 21 percent this week – plus one percentage point compared to the previous week. This means that the Union is still at a very low level, but it can continue on its slight recovery path.
The SPD remains stable at 27 percent, the Greens (16 percent) and FDP (13 percent) each lose one percentage point. The AfD remains at 11 percent, the left can gain one point, now reaching 5 percent. Other parties would vote 7 percent this week (+/- 0).