Markus Söder ends Armin Laschet’s Jamaica dream

Berlin Armin Laschet stood in front of the microphones for barely a minute, visibly exhausted, to make his statement to Berlin as the CDU leader in Düsseldorf. There, the FDP and the Greens decided in favor of the SPD at their bridal show.

“We are also available for further discussions, but the decision of who to speak to and in which order rests with the FDP and the Greens. And therefore our respect for the decision, ”said Laschet. He emphasized again: “We are ready to talk to, CDU and CSU.”

With his appearance Laschet was just ahead of CSU boss Markus Söder, who reacted from Munich to the vote for explorations of a traffic light coalition. Söder not only took more time. He also ended his rival’s Jamaica dreams – and with it Laschet’s political future.

The decision by the FDP and the Greens was a “de facto rejection of Jamaica,” said Söder. He spoke of a “preliminary decision”, the traffic light was “the clear number one”.

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Of course, the Union remains “ready to talk”, but not “in permanent vacancy”, it is “not a spare wheel”. The Union must “recognize the reality”, stressed Söder. And for him it looks like this: The next federal government will “very likely be formed without the Union”.

Mobile phone ban directive

Ten grueling days end for Laschet this Wednesday. Jamaica could only have existed if the Union had acted as a unity. Laschet had made this clear in preliminary talks and symbolically enforced it with the directive of a mobile phone ban.

But already after the first conversation with the FDP, information from the familiar group landed in the media; after the meeting with the Greens even those three topics that were particularly important to the CSU in the conversation.

This is one of the reasons why the CDU says: “It is the conscious attempt from Bavaria not to allow a Jamaica coalition to come about.” In terms of content, more is possible for the country with the alliance than with a traffic light.

union

When he was running for chancellor, Markus Söder had to give way to his opponent Armin Laschet.

(Photo: dpa)

On Monday evening, the parliamentary group in North Rhine-Westphalia demonstratively united behind their prime minister with long applause. Many of them maintain friendly contact with Laschet and were downright shocked by the power struggles in Berlin and the suffering of their front-line fighter.

“There is no decency whatsoever,” it said, “undignified” is the play. Regardless of whether Söder, Jens Spahn, Norbert Röttgen or Ralph Brinkhaus, they are all “pathologically ambitious”. Even if Armin Laschet declares his retirement in the coming days: “The slaughter in the party will continue,” was the prognosis.

The members should elect the chair

It was said that Laschet would provide the party chairmanship when the prospect of a Jamaica alliance finally vanished into thin air. As long as there is a chance, he will stand by and try to “keep the business together”.

But even in the FDP, doubts are growing: The liberals are now sounding out with the SPD and not in parallel with the Union – for one reason: “Markus Söder makes it clear from every pore that he does not want to.” Basis of the desire to renew oneself in the opposition.

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Should the chance pass, Laschet will ensure an orderly transition at the top of the party, it said in the Union. Just like in North Rhine-Westphalia, where he has ruled with the FDP since 2017, involved all wing of the party and has now presented Hendrik Wüst, his transport minister and head of the SME association, as his successor. Even the workers’ wing supports Wüst.

The alpha animals in the federal party want nothing to do with such harmony. “Everyone has their own agenda,” it said. It is therefore most likely that a membership decision will apply in order to determine the third federal chairman within three years.

Söder dismisses hopes for Jamaica: “Clear decision for traffic lights”

Something like this takes time, and the decision will probably be made in January. That is how long the Union would be incapable of negotiating if, for example, the traffic light talks should fail.

This is also part of Söder’s “brutal power tactics”, the CDU said: Without the Union as a trump card, the FDP would have to swallow a lot of toads in a red-green coalition.

Söder could loudly oppose from Munich – in order to succeed in 2023 with the absolute majority expected in Bavaria and to recommend himself as a candidate for Chancellor for 2025, according to the footballer’s saying: “If we don’t win the game, then we will at least crush the other Race.”

More: Lessons from the disastrous federal elections were the final deciding factor for Hendrik Wüst

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