Four hours are scheduled. The need for discussion of the district chairmen is as great as the displeasure of the party base. There will be no decision as to who should become the new CDU chairman. Rather, the boss search procedure should be discussed.
At the conference, Noch boss Laschet and General Secretary Paul Ziemiak will give a speech. So far, five people have been traded as candidates for the presidency: the former Union parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, the executive health minister Jens Spahn, the foreign politician Norbert Röttgen, the incumbent chairman of the Union parliamentary group Ralph Brinkhaus and the head of the economic wing, Carsten Linnemann.
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Little is heard of the five potential candidates before the district chairperson’s meeting. Nobody dares to take cover and announce his interest, everyone is waiting. There is a great deal of nervousness, according to the party. The mood is difficult to assess.
The desire for a real new beginning is great
The decision to become Vice President of the Bundestag is a warning to those who may be interested. The Union’s First Parliamentary Managing Director, Michael Grosse-Brömer, was just as interested in the post as Annette Widmann-Mauz, currently still integration officer in the Chancellery at Angela Merkel.
But then it was said from the parliamentary group that they did not want anyone from the previous leadership or the federal government. And so the choice fell surprisingly on the previously largely unknown CDU MP Yvonne Magwas.
Many in the party see this as proof of how great the desire is for a real fresh start with new faces at the top. MPs should therefore react extremely allergically at the moment when previous members of the government sound out their chances for future posts.
The CDU MP Yvonne Magwas is Vice President of the Bundestag.
(Photo: dpa)
Even the hapless Education Minister Anja Karliczek is said to have felt whether she could still become deputy parliamentary group leader. Some of them would not have recognized the signs of the times, according to the widespread reaction in the group.
The open question now is whether this mood also applies to the party and the search for bosses. That would rather reduce the chances of Brinkhaus or Spahn. At most Linnemann could still advertise that he has so far distanced himself from the old leadership and has often enough criticized the course of the CDU in the federal government.
Merz supporters rely on a member survey
It will be important who votes on the chairmanship: Formally, a federal party congress is responsible. But there could be a member survey beforehand if several candidates should declare their interest in the party chairmanship. Especially supporters of Merz are pushing for it. The former Union faction leader is popular at the grassroots level, and in a member survey he could have a good chance – at least better than in a fight vote at a party congress.
Here he has already lost twice, first to Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, then to Laschet. That is why Merz has announced that he will not vote a third time at a party congress.
Foreign politician Röttgen has also shown sympathy for a member survey. In principle, he was in favor of the representative party congress principle, he told the newspapers of the Funke media group. But: “If, in this particular situation, a considerable part of the base announces that the members want to be an active part of the new beginning and therefore want a member survey, then I welcome and support that.”
However, it is also conceivable that the participation is not as extensive. There could also only be regional conferences at which the possible candidates answer questions from the members and discuss them. After such a picture of the mood has been obtained, the delegates could then decide at a party congress.
A dual leadership is not ruled out either
Another variant: The potential candidates come to an agreement among themselves. A dual leadership is not excluded. It is possible that someone will also declare their candidacy who has not yet been traded.
According to the party, the desire for a consensus solution is enormous. So the CDU could finally be united. Neither Kramp-Karrenbauer nor Laschet had succeeded. The decision at the two party congresses was relatively close. The CDU remained divided. That must now finally be overcome, it is said in the party. Otherwise you run the risk of wearing out the third chairman within a short period of time.
More: CDU is looking for new heads: The call for the dual leadership is getting louder