Status: 07.10.2021 7:55 p.m.
A Jamaica alliance is not yet off the table for him – CDU boss Laschet made that clear. What is new is that he would withdraw from the party leadership if necessary. But first of all he wants to work through the bad union election result.
CDU boss and Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet has shown the willingness to forego the party chairmanship in the future.
In a statement after a switching conference with the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, Laschet said with a view to a possible Jamaica alliance: “It will not fail because of the person.” Already in the talks between the Union and the Greens and the FDP he made it clear: “It is not about the person Armin Laschet.”
Kristin Schwietzer, ARD Berlin, on the Union’s switching conference
Tagesschau24 7:00 p.m., October 7th, 2021
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Despite the poor performance of the Union in the federal election, Laschet continued to campaign for a coalition with the Greens and the FDP. In previous discussions with the two parties, numerous similarities were recognized. Jamaica is a “modernization alliance” and “an opportunity for new beginnings in the country”.
The CDU chairman criticized the decision of the Greens and FDP to sound out with the SPD. The two parties had “launched unilateral explorations without need.” He emphasized: “We don’t slam doors.” The offer of the CDU stands “until the last second of the formation of a government”. Laschet recalled the substantive rifts between the Greens, the FDP and the SPD. The Union will therefore closely monitor how the talks are going and remain ready.
Processing of the election result
Laschet also announced a reorganization of the CDU as a consequence of the poor election result. That has to be worked through. “We will tackle the new staffing of the CDU – from the chairman to the presidium to the federal executive board – quickly.” This is possible in the government and the opposition. He sees his own task in moderating this process.
Laschet referred to a package of measures developed by CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak, which provides for conferences with the regional associations, an “Eastern Conference” – a meeting with the East German regional associations – in November, a conference of district chairpersons and an internal committee to deal with the issue. It has to be analyzed exactly what has gone wrong in the past few years and where one needs to improve.
“Ongoing staff debate”
In order to clarify the future of the party’s personnel, Laschet says he wants to propose the convening of a party congress. Place and date would be determined. In this context, Laschet criticized the state of the CDU. Since Angela Merkel’s retirement as chairwoman in 2018, there has been “an ongoing personnel debate – always against each other, always in changing line-ups”. That should be different this time.
Laschet called out a “path of consensus” and warned: “Everyone should stick to it.” He wanted to reach a consensus of all those who are currently “eligible” for the CDU chairmanship. Laschet cited the appointment of Hendrik Wüst as his successor as NRW Prime Minister as a positive example of personnel recruitment.
Greens and FDP react to CDU dispute
After joint discussions, the explorers from the SPD, Greens and FDP reacted to the personnel debate within the CDU. FDP General Secretary Volker Wissing admitted that a change in personnel would lead to a new perspective on a party.
At the same time he emphasized: “The formation of a government cannot be based on people, but on content.” The order of the talks is clear and one sees a perspective that one can “come to a common path” with the SPD and the Greens. Greens managing director Michael Kellner also stated that there would be no parallel talks with the SPD and the Union. “That would be the wrong way,” he said.