Laschet at the CSU party congress: Nothing won yet



analysis

Status: 11.09.2021 8:27 p.m.

The CSU party congress ended with cheers for Union Chancellor candidate Laschet. From now on one wants to appear “maximally closed” in the federal election campaign. But is that enough to turn things around?

An analysis by Franka Welz, ARD capital studio

Anyone who wanted to know how much it was all about had to watch CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak on Saturday morning while he was waiting for Armin Laschet in front of the East Entrance of the Nuremberg Trade Fair, alongside CSU boss and host Markus Söder. Ziemiak stepped from one leg to the other, kneading his hands, while Söder was teasing a cameraman about his hairstyle.

It was also an important party congress for Söder. On the one hand, he had to and wanted to convince the last of them that he and his CSU would actually stand behind the common candidate for chancellor with no ifs or buts if the “turnaround” that was so much invoked within the Union was actually to be heralded this weekend.

On the other hand, the delegates signaled to him that they were ready to follow Söder’s slogan, a signal of “determination and unity” from the party congress, but not without at least hinting at their teeth. Because many are not only dissatisfied with the course of the Union election campaign and not least the chancellor candidate. Söder’s behavior over the past few months has also offended some and some angry, in particular the constant taunts from Munich against Laschet.

87.6 percent for Söder as party leader

When Söder was re-elected as CSU chairman, the scandal was not expected. The delegates confirmed him with 87.6 percent in office (in October 2019 it was 91.3 percent). No gossip, but also no declaration of love.

Söder’s behavior towards Laschet is by no means the only reason for the discontent that flares up again and again in the CSU. Many party members continue to believe that the Union could do much better with a candidate for Chancellor Söder. Nevertheless, it is too green for some, and some too strict with its approach to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Still, they didn’t damage him with a poor result in the middle of the survey low.

Union Chancellor candidate Laschet sharply criticizes political opponents at the CSU party congress

Daniel Pokraka, ARD Berlin, daily news 8:00 p.m., 9/11/2021

Dorothee Bär received the deputy gossip, with 69.7 percent (71.6 percent in 2019) elected as one of the deputy party leaders. For comparison: The CSU European politician Manfred Weber received 94 percent. Bär is running for second place on the list of the CSU and is also the woman for digital in Armin Laschet’s so-called future team, mind you, the only woman from Bavaria.

Laschet wins the party congress for himself

So after Söder Laschet had prepared the ground on Friday, among other things with jokes about the hairstyles of the Greens (hairstyles seem to have done Söder) or gender, so now the eagerly awaited appearance by Armin Laschet on Saturday.

Laschet came, was surrounded by a cluster of media people, led by Söder into the plenary, including a cheering delegation from the Junge Union in the entrance area of ​​the fair. By the way, they had rehearsed the cheers beforehand. Just don’t leave anything to chance.

Laschet’s acclaimed entry into the plenum, which gave him the images that he and the Union so desperately need, was staged in a similar way. Arrived at the lectern, Laschet gave a solid, combative speech for his standards, tailored to the CSU taste. Many warnings about the “red danger”, attacks on political competitors, especially SPD chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz, as well as ensnaring the Bavarian soul.

During Laschet’s speech it was worth taking another look at the still visibly tense CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak. Ziemiak hung on Laschet’s lips, seemed to want to carry him through the speech by willpower alone. Didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands, had them on the chin and then grabbed the coffee mug. He sat and was constantly on the move until the last words of Armin Laschet – which were apparently relieving for him. Great relief for Paul Ziemiak, great cheers and applause lasting several minutes in Hall 7A of the Nuremberg trade fair.

Decreed unity of sister parties

What began as a staging seemed to end from the heart and Markus Söder seemed to know: A possible defeat of the Union in the federal election would come back to him at the latest after this weekend if he had become habitual taunts over the next two weeks Can’t hold back against Armin Laschet.

For the Union, after the CSU party congress, the question arises whether “No matter what time, the main thing is unity” will really be an election campaign strategy for the history books. Many hope that something will still work out in the election campaign. How much that will ultimately be, nobody knows, not even high-ranking CSU members.

Söder’s personal exam is due for the Bavarian state elections in 2023: Although his poll and popularity ratings are good, he has so far not had any outstanding election results. In contrast to a poor performance in the federal election, a poor performance in the state election cannot simply be blamed on the CDU, the “federal trend” or even Armin Laschet. Markus Söder, Armin Laschet and the entire Union election campaign have saved themselves in the next round – but is that enough to turn things around?



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