The CDU federal chairman and Union parliamentary group chairman speaks in the general debate on the budget in the Bundestag before Federal Minister of Economics Habeck and Chancellor Scholz.
(Photo: dpa)
Berlin Friedrich Merz wouldn’t be himself if he didn’t use the general debate in the Bundestag and present Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), accuse him of inactivity and point out motions from his parliamentary group that point him in the right direction.
On Wednesday, the 66-year-old, as leader of the opposition, was the first to speak. It was primarily about the first federal budget that the young traffic light coalition brought to parliament without the legacy of the previous government.
“Any compass, also in economic policy,” is missing from the government, the parliamentary group leader of the CDU and CSU made clear and lectured at the same time: The gas crisis is a “supply shock”. That is why it is important to create offers. “With all my might and every opportunity. That’s called a market economy.”
That means: Nuclear power plants have to run longer, lignite and hard coal power plants back on the grid. Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is “helpless”, he thinks “the whole country is fooling” with his plans for the last three nuclear reactors.
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Energy policy finally belongs in the chancellery. “Stop this madness while we still have the time,” Merz called in the direction of the government bank. He was sure of long applause from his group. Opposition can the man.
On Friday, the spotlight will be on the CDU
Merz duped the chancellor time and time again this year, drove to Kyiv in Ukraine when Scholz hesitated, and demanded arms deliveries. The fact that the 66-year-old has changed his own positions many times and still faces the major task of giving the CDU its compass again and presenting it as a modern people’s party is being overshadowed these days. The spotlight is on the divided government.
This could change as early as Friday. At the 35th federal party conference of the CDU, Merz has to be careful not to become the hunted himself. It could hardly be better for Merz. The traffic light coalition, which laboriously came together to form the “progress coalition”, has had to forget all its appointments since the Ukraine war. In a crisis, she argues about the right course and makes mistakes. But the Union hardly benefits in the polls, is ahead with 27 percent, but not yet at 30 percent or even the hoped-for 35.
>> Read here: Setback for Habeck: operator rejects plans for nuclear power reserve
Since Friedrich Merz was elected party leader in January, the CDU has lost power in Saarland with a crash, but has been able to hold on in Schleswig-Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia. And in October there will be elections in Lower Saxony.
In order to win there, a well-running party congress in Hanover would also be important. “With a clear course” is the headline. But the party is still looking for that clear course. On Friday not only the chairman Merz will hold his first speech in front of the 1001 delegates. These delegates will also have to consider a hastily written lead motion on energy policy.
There are also unpleasant debates, in which Merz may have to watch how deep the rifts between the wings of the party still are.
Quota for women, social year and equality
There is the women’s quota, which the party now wants to introduce and which previous predecessor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer had already proposed. Supporters and opponents have been lobbying behind the scenes for weeks. Even the party leader’s compromise to limit the quota to the end of the decade is not well received by either the business wing or the Junge Union.
The Women’s Union, however, hopes that there will be a majority. For Merz it’s not a winning topic either way. There is also the debate about either a voluntary or a mandatory year of society for young people. The Junge Union first wants a dialogue with those affected, Merz is an advocate of the voluntary year, party deputy Carsten Linnemann, head of the basic program commission, advocates the obligation.
And Linnemann has influential supporters like Christian Haase, head of the local political association. “We local authorities support the application for a year of society,” he says. “Everyone should experience in concrete terms that not only civil rights but also civic duties exist, without which our society would drift apart. That is why the Society Year must become compulsory for everyone.”
The party will also discuss new basic values that a commission has drawn up. It is about the question of whether the party is committed to equality or equal rights.
Equality leads “ultimately to egalitarianism,” warns Christoph Ploß, Head of State in Hamburg. Equal rights allow everyone “the fairest possible conditions,” he said. “The CDU should speak out clearly for an equal society in which equal opportunities and the performance principle are the cornerstones.” Quotas have no place there.
The power struggles in his own ranks are driving the CDU leader, and he now has to get a grip on them quickly. His party friends demand a profile from him. Otherwise he could soon become a victim.
More: “This is irresponsible politics”: Scholz accuses Union of serious omissions