The CDU politician Friedrich Merz has sharply criticized the behavior of the sister party CSU in the election campaign. “The year 2021 marks a low point in our cooperation and our dealings with one another,” he wrote in his newsletter sent on Saturday. “We don’t all have to be completely convinced of every decision at all times. But just like in the weeks leading up to the election, in a Union that still calls itself” bourgeois “people simply don’t get along with each other. That was styleless, disrespectful and sometimes rowdy. “
In the CSU, during the election campaign, there were repeatedly critical tones in the direction of the Union Chancellor candidate and CDU leader Armin Laschet. He was defeated by CSU leader Markus Söder in the power struggle for the Union’s candidacy for chancellor. Merz ‘statements should be understood as a criticism of Söder, whom he did not mention by name. On Saturday, this again attributed the poor election result of the Union to the unpopular candidate for Chancellor Laschet and a weak election campaign strategy. “It’s just like that: In the end, the Germans wanted a different candidate for chancellor than the one that the CDU and CSU have put up,” said the CSU boss.
“We have a responsibility that goes beyond our parties and individual people and their personal interests in power,” wrote Merz in his “#MerzMail” https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/. “Anyone who doesn’t understand that, judges more Destruction than a lost federal election can do on its own. ” The work in the Union and between the CDU and CSU is now facing a fundamental new beginning, wrote Merz. “Hopefully everyone understands the dimensions of this challenge. A serious defeat can also offer the chance of a good new start.” (10/10/2021)
Altmaier and Kramp-Karrenbauer renounce parliamentary mandates
Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier and Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (both CDU) are renouncing their Bundestag mandates. The Saarland Prime Minister and CDU state chairman Tobias Hans announced in Saarbrücken.
It is important to bring about a generation change now, said Altmaier. “Renewal is possible, you just have to want it,” he added. Kramp-Karrenbauer said it was not enough just to say that the country and the party were more important than one’s own political career. Now is a situation “where you have to do it”. The former CDU federal chairman Kramp-Karrenbauer was elected to the Bundestag via the top spot on the state list. Altmaier started in second place.
By renouncing the mandate, they are making room for two younger party friends in the Union parliamentary group. Nadine Schön is 38 years old and has been a member of the Bundestag since 2009. She helped negotiate when the SPD and CDU agreed in principle on a binding quota for women on executive boards at the end of 2020. Markus Uhl (41) was elected to the Bundestag for the first time in 2017. Before that, the graduate in business administration worked in the Saarland State Chancellery from 2012 to 2017, most recently as head of department. (09.10.2021)
CSU boss Söder criticizes Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet
CSU boss Markus Söder attributes the bad result of the union in the federal election to the unpopular chancellor candidate Armin Laschet (CDU) and a weak campaign strategy. “It’s just like that: In the end, the Germans wanted a different candidate for chancellor than the one put up by the CDU and CSU,” said Söder on Saturday at the national assembly of the Junge Union in Deggendorf. “Just as it played a role that we weren’t quite sure from the start which strategy we were actually pursuing in terms of content.”
The CSU had hoped for “substantive accents of renewal”. As an example, Söder cited the demand for tax relief for the middle class, company founders and top performers. “Just pointing out that nothing will change is not motivation, not stimulation.”
Without naming the CDU, Söder asked the sister party not to ingratiate themselves with the FDP and the Greens in Berlin in order to remain in the government. “It is the turn of the traffic light,” said the CSU boss. It is difficult to just sit in front of the door and wait for the traffic light to pull you in if you happen to be stuck in negotiations. “We’re not just the permanent replacement candidate.”
Söder called the election defeat a turning point for the CDU and CSU. “The Union has lost everywhere, broadly and deeply. (…) We are only fourth among the young voters.” The CSU also had a bad result, “a very bad one,” said Söder. “It was also the case that our own staff did not pull as we expected.” (09.10.2021)
Habeck: “A lot of conflicts in terms of content”
In the explorations with the SPD and FDP about a traffic light coalition, there are still some differences, according to the Greens co-chairman Robert Habeck – especially on the topics of taxes, debts and the financing of climate protection measures. “We have a lot of conflicts in terms of content, so the trusting atmosphere and the effort to shape a different style in terms of form should not hide the fact that it is far from over and that the differences between the parties are sometimes considerable. “
There were a lot of points that were fought over, argued and partly not resolved, said Habeck. When asked which will be the most difficult topic of the next few weeks, he replies: “Well, there are recognizable differences between us and perhaps also the SPD and the FDP on the subject of finance. And finance does not only mean the budget, but also the investment opportunities for to provide climate protection. “
According to Habeck, Germany should advocate easing the requirements for debt repayment at EU level. The corona crisis drove European countries into debt. He warned: “If you force them to repay this debt, as provided for in the Stability and Growth Pact, via a very strict debt rule, then southern European countries will only succeed with massive cuts in their social budgets, and in the end fascism will rule.” The exploratory talks between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP are to continue on Monday in Berlin. (09.10.2021)
Green youth warns against too many compromises when forming a government
The federal spokesman of the Green Youth, Georg Kurz, has warned against too much willingness to compromise in view of the explorations about a coalition with the SPD and FDP. “The 1.5 degree target must be the basis for everything that the government decides,” he told the editorial network Germany. By this he means the goal anchored in the Paris climate protection agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees compared to the pre-industrial age. “It has to be linked to social justice. We need both 100 percent.”
Kurz explained that this means in concrete terms, for example, that the level of rents for apartments should no longer be left to the market. He emphasized: “Our aim is for things to change fundamentally. We don’t need to make a few small corrections.”
The Green Youth will come to a federal congress on Saturday in Erfurt, Thuringia, under the motto “No time for small steps – fight for the future!” together. The youth organization of the Greens wants to make it clear “which requirements and conditions” it is placing on a new federal government. In an urgency motion, the federal executive positions itself against an alliance with the CDU / CSU and FDP: “There is no one reason for Jamaica – but many reasons against it. A Jamaica coalition is out of the question for us,” it says. The Green Youth also elects a new federal board. (09.10.2021)
Klingbeil: “Didn’t start with polite phrases today”
After initial discussions about a possible three-party alliance, the SPD, FDP and the Greens made a joint statement. The three party representatives emphasize that the talks went well and were “trusting”.
“I can tell you that the conversation was intense,” said SPD General Secretary Lars Klingbeil. From the beginning it was about topics: “We didn’t start with polite phrases today.” It is about tackling the great future challenges of this country. “I felt in the conversation that we can create something together”.
FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing also found the conversation “went very well”. They wanted to find out whether there was a willingness to take larger hurdles together – and that was what we saw today, said Wissing. But it is also clear: “There are issues where it won’t be easy.” The important thing is: “We don’t want to ignore things, we want to address them specifically.”
Michael Kellner, Federal Managing Director of Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen, was convinced: “Solutions can be found for our country’s problems, together.” He spoke of a “strong sign” that such different parties could talk to each other with confidence.
The talks will continue next Monday, all three party representatives announced. Then one will start with “in-depth explorations,” said Kellner. Klingbeil emphasized that the next week would be used to “continue to advise intensively” in order to “then come to an agreement”. (07.10.2021)
Meanwhile in the Berlin House of Representatives: SPD wants to sound out in two three-way formats
A new government is not only sought at the federal level. There is a freshly elected state parliament in Berlin – the Social Democrats ended up just ahead of the Greens in the House of Representatives elections. Now the SPD wants to speak in two three-way formats about the formation of a government in Berlin. On the one hand, explorations are planned with the Greens and the FDP, and on the other hand with the Greens and the Left, said the SPD’s top candidate in the House of Representatives election and designated Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey on Friday. The preference for the SPD is a traffic light alliance with the Greens and the FDP. (08.10.2021)
Laschet wants to reorganize the CDU
CDU boss Armin Laschet said on Thursday afternoon in a video link of the Union faction that he wanted a new staffing of the CDU. There should be a party congress for this, he did not initially name a date. Laschet said that now must apply: first the country, then the party, then the people. A Jamaica coalition would be better for the country than a traffic light coalition. Laschet indicated the willingness to postpone its own ambitions for possible Jamaica negotiations with the Greens and the FDP. “If it goes better with other people, then gladly,” said the CDU boss, according to participants.
How things are now going on in the party will be discussed in the presidium and board. In any case, he wanted to avoid a “personnel battle”. Instead, the CDU needs a joint consensus proposal. Laschet referred to North Rhine-Westphalia, where the CDU had just decided by mutual agreement that Hendrik Wüst should succeed him as Prime Minister. Many people would still be waiting for a Jamaica coalition of the Union, the Greens and the FDP. Therefore, it must apply that the CDU must be ready for a Jamaica coalition “until the last second”. Because he could not imagine how the SPD, Greens and FDP wanted to bring their issues together in a traffic light. (07.10.2021)