CSU party conference
Merz rules out a coalition with the Greens – but leaves one door open

Friedrich Merz at the CSU party conference
© Alexandra Beier/Getty Image
CDU leader Merz is a guest at the party conference of the Bavarian sister CSU. There he said that he considered cooperation with the Greens to be unthinkable, but did not categorically rule it out.
Söder with a tougher position than Merz
Söder, however, confirmed at the start of the party conference on Friday that the CSU would not enter into a coalition with the Greens. As justification, he also explained that if the Union kept this option open, it would not mobilize many votes: “In the end, the Union’s black-green vote, that is my assessment, will be well below 30 percent in an election.” The CDU and CSU agreed in September that Merz would be the Union’s joint candidate for chancellor in the next federal election. This is planned for September 28th next year.