Germany Day
“Absolute cheek”: Junge Union reckons with party leadership – Merz only wanted as an “advisor”
JU chairman Tilman Kuban (left) and Friedrich Merz, after his speech on Friday at the Junge Union’s Germany Day
© Bernd Thissen / DPA
The Junge Union settles accounts with the old party leadership at Germany Day – and applauds potential Laschet successors. However, the JU boss put a bitter damper on Friedrich Merz’s ambitions.
It was foreseeable that after the failed federal election the mood at the annual meeting of the Junge Union would not be the best. As a precaution, CSU boss Markus Söder had therefore preferred not to even appear in Münster. Still-CDU boss Armin Laschet came – and finally delivered what was expected of him: The failed candidate for chancellor was humble and took responsibility for the election disaster.
Many of the young delegates, who then came to the microphone for discussion, expressly appreciated Laschet’s self-criticism and his courage to even appear on the unenjoyable date. “Respect” was heard many times. The anger of the Junge Union about the short-term cancellation of Söders, who recently had to take displeasure at the JU in the Free State, was, however, mainly from CSU General Secretary Markus Blume. In the afternoon he and CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak became the target for the concentrated displeasure of the young street election campaigners about the disputes between the sister parties, the lack of professionalism in the social media appearance or the lack of positioning at the “Wahl-O-Mat”.
“Unfortunately the opponent did not cuddle with you”
For example, the chairman of the JU NRW, Johannes Winkel, does not want to hear any more appeasement from the general secretaries: “Both of you are responsible for the fact that the Jusos and Olaf Scholz were more united than the CDU and CSU in the federal election campaign. That is absolute cheek.” In his speech, however, Winkel also emphasized the part of Merkel’s party leadership style that had “systematically destabilized and gutted the CDU” and called for “an internal review of the past 16 years”.
In the astonishingly open debate, a JU delegate from Schleswig-Holstein blames a “Berlin bubble” that has been decoupled from the public for the poor results in the federal elections. A Berlin JU campaigner accuses Laschet: “You have prepared us for a cuddle election campaign. Unfortunately, the political opponent did not cuddle with you.”
Potential successors are warming up
The Germany Day of Union Youngsters is not only a billing event, but also a stage for new lead wolves. Two of the possible successor candidates for the CDU federal chairmanship, Jens Spahn and Carsten Linnemann, are looking specifically ahead in front of the next generation of political leaders. Your research addresses to the delegates already sound like job applicants – Linnemann in particular is cheered.
The 44-year-old economic politician calls on the Union to “tackle the very hot topics”. These include the future pension system and the controversial issue of civil servants. For the CDU, it’s about its status as a people’s party, warns Linnemann in a very short, but audibly well-received speech. Foreign politician Norbert Röttgen, who is also traded as a possible successor to the party leadership alongside economic expert Friedrich Merz and Union faction leader Ralph Brinkhaus, listens attentively to the speech as a guest between the rows of delegates.
Spahn declined “guiding principles” with great emphasis – “when you are woken up at night and are supposed to say: what does the CDU stand for?” The 41-year-old questions the bourgeois understanding of a performance society and how people with low and middle incomes can participate in the growing prosperity of people with “unpowered incomes and assets”.
The 41-year-old presents himself as a dashing innovator, but also very personal. He talks about the new understanding of family, about homosexuality and his husband. He says that he went into politics because he wanted to take on responsibility. He continues to confess to this, although he has been insulted more than once as a “traitor” and “gay pig”. “The CDU is not finished,” he called out to the delegates. Now it is a matter of getting up again after the election debacle. “I feel like shaping this new CDU.”
JU boss wants Merz only as an “advisor and supporter”
Friedrich Merz, who had already given a speech on Friday evening at Germany Day, had to take a clear verbal damper from JU boss Tilman Kuban on the sidelines of the event. “Above all, we need more young, fresh and fresh minds in the party leadership,” said Kuban to the broadcasters RTL and ntv. “Friedrich Merz is a clever person who can certainly also be there as a consultant and supporter.” However, in the future there will only be a “healthy mix” of young and old, said Kuban and added: “We haven’t had that in recent years.”
When asked about a possible member survey to determine the new CDU boss, Kuban said: “A member survey can take place quickly by taking place online or as a so-called ballot box in the district offices.” This is also legally and technically possible: “You just have to want it,” said the CDU politician.
Hopeful Wüst
After all, the JU members can celebrate one hope in Münster. Hendrik Wüst, 46 years old and former JU state chairman, is to be elected shortly as Laschet’s successor to North Rhine-Westphalia’s youngest prime minister. To the drums of the “Höhner” song “Now it’s off (we can no longer be stopped)”, Wüst is cheered on the podium by JU delegates waving flags.
“We have lost the federal election, yes, and as things stand, we have also lost our participation in the government,” Wüst shouted in the Münsterlandhalle. “But we mustn’t lose our demeanor, our demeanor and our self-respect.” Not least with a view to the four state elections next year, the following applies: “Attitude instead of division must be the yardstick!”