Status: 09/09/2022 4:29 p.m
Attack department – CDU leader Merz gave a strong attack on the government at the beginning of the federal party conference. He said nothing about the women’s quota, which is controversial in the CDU and is to be voted on at the party conference.
At the beginning of his party’s federal party conference in Hanover, CDU leader Friedrich Merz attacked the federal government and reaffirmed his party’s claim to leadership. As soon as he welcomed the approximately 1,000 delegates, he said that in a time full of crises and before a possible recession, Germany was “probably one of the weakest federal governments of all time”.
In the energy crisis, Chancellor Olaf Scholz had to bring competencies from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to the Federal Chancellery, said Merz. He accused Economics Minister Robert Habeck of incompetence: Germany cannot afford a “trainee program” for economics ministers, and someone in the office needs someone who understands something about it.
Simply avoiding CO2 is no longer enough
In order to react to the energy crisis, all energy sources would have to be used: lignite, hard coal – “and of course nuclear energy,” said Merz. However, the goal of climate neutrality by 2045 can no longer be achieved with the current means. It will certainly not work just by avoiding CO2, as has been the case up to now.
“Then we have to use technologies,” said Merz and campaigned for a corresponding motion by the party executive. CO2 should not only be understood as a greenhouse gas, but also as a raw material, it must be recycled. “What’s stopping us now from developing the most modern technologies so that we can become climate-neutral?” Germany should set itself the challenge of developing such technologies – if possible with its European neighbors, but “on its own if necessary”.
Merz: Would have approved the export of Marder tanks
In dealing with the Russian attack on Ukraine, Merz again accused the government of not doing enough to help Ukraine. According to Merz, he would have granted the export license for 100 Marder tanks in a government with the FDP and the Greens. Freedom, democracy and liberality are the highest goods and a price has to be paid for them.
The CDU also approved the special fund of over 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr because it shared responsibility for the condition of the troops, Merz admitted. He accused the SPD of “political corruption” for its Russia policy.
“Never” cooperation with the AfD
Merz also recalled the incident with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, when he unchallengedly accused Israel of multiple “Holocausts” against the Palestinians in Chancellor Scholz’s Federal Chancellery. He could never have imagined that it could happen that the chancellor didn’t object. Merz also addressed the scandal surrounding the documenta art exhibition in Kassel and called for a decisive fight against anti-Semitism.
In this context, he reiterated his rejection of any cooperation with the AfD, at any political level. “There will never be any cooperation with this party,” said Merz.
Discussion about quota for women and society year
But the party conference should also deal with internal party issues – the debate about a women’s quota in the CDU, which the delegates are to vote on today, is eagerly awaited. Merz did not mention this controversial topic in the party at all in his speech. Discussion is also expected on a new mandatory community service, the Society Year, and a bylaw amendment to create the post of Deputy Secretary General.