Analysis of the CDU strategy: muddling through or speeding up?

The Union party leaders operate at different speeds after the federal election: While CSU boss Söder is pushing for quick decisions, his CDU colleague Laschet seems to be playing for time.

Somehow getting through, somehow gaining time – that seems to be Armin Laschet’s strategy at the moment. Keep up the pace, keep going, that’s how Markus Söder goes about it.

For today it worked for now. Ralph Brinkhaus is parliamentary group leader of the Union. But he is a parliamentary group leader on call. He’s not only in office for a few weeks, as Armin Laschet wanted, but also not for a whole year, as he himself wanted.

Armin Laschet is still holding on to the straw, but still being able to become chancellor in a Jamaica alliance. According to participants, he said in the Union faction. “Those who voted for us say: don’t give up on Jamaica so quickly.” Laschet hopes that his close relationship with FDP party leader Christian Lindner will be able to carry out the work.

There is growing pressure on Laschet to admit the Union’s electoral defeat. At least two calls for resignation were formulated in the Union parliamentary group.

CSU urges decisions

Meanwhile, the sister party is increasing the pressure. The CSU regional group has re-elected its chairman Alexander Dobrindt for four years. So Dobrindt is in a safe position in his post. He is now demanding from the CDU that personnel and positions must be clarified within a week.

And Markus Söder later positions himself as a candidate for chancellor. Or how should one judge the fact that he does not want to acknowledge “My place is in Bavaria” today. We remember: Söder’s attempt to secure the candidacy for chancellor began with the rounding of the questions about this sentence.

Söder as Jamaica Chancellor?

Rumors are circulating in Berlin that Söder will be pushed out of the CDU to take over the Jamaica negotiations and take over the chancellorship. At a press conference today, he does not want to confirm such ambitions. stresses that the CDU and CSU should do soundings together. “Everything else is speculation.”

Three sentences later, he said that the CSU was preparing for the Jamaica negotiations. A “matrix” is already being prepared. Tenor: The CSU is organized and ready, while the CDU is not even set up.

Brinkhaus choice brings stability – first of all

With the election of Brinkhaus as parliamentary group leader – and the avoidance of a fight vote with Jens Spahn, Friedrich Merz or Norbert Röttgen – at least some stability has now returned to the CDU. This can be used to determine whether Jamaica is an option and whether Laschet can still become Chancellor.

And if Laschet should accept the advice of those who demand the consequences for the electoral defeat from him – then at least the parliamentary group leader is still available as a contact person for Jamaica. However, it could soon be clear whether Jamaica has a chance at all. Between frustration in the party and the CSU boss’s claim to power, it is also Laschet’s last chance for political survival.