parties
Hamburg’s CDU leader warns the federal party to unite
Hamburg’s CDU state chairman Dennis Thering calls on his party to unite. photo
© Christian Charisius/dpa
Dennis Thering has been state chairman of the Hamburg CDU since April. In Hamburg he sees the CDU well positioned. In the federal government, he hopes for further impetus under the designated new Secretary General.
Because there is still room for improvement in the polls of the Union in the federal government, “especially with this poor performance of the traffic light coalition,” said Thering. “Of course we can’t be satisfied that we’re not constantly above 30 percent.” Party leader Friedrich Merz also recognized this. “That’s why we have now made the change in the office of Secretary General.”
The CDU must underpin with clear demands and clear concepts that it is the best alternative to the traffic light coalition at federal level. “We haven’t been able to do that as well as we would have liked in the last two years,” said Thering. “But I’m in good spirits that Carsten Linnemann will now further increase public visibility.”
A dispute on the open stage about content and personnel is now at the wrong time and only helps the political opponent. “In this area you can learn a lot from the Hamburg CDU at the federal level. In the end, you always get the furthest with unity.”
The background is statements by North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst and his Schleswig-Holstein colleague Daniel Günther, who, in view of a growing AfD, had spoken out in favor of a center course and against populism – which was understood as indirect criticism of party leader Merz.
“First of all, I’m pleased that we have such strong prime ministers,” said Thering. Both Günther and Wüst were very popular and did “a great job”. “That’s a value in itself.” He, too, would like some clarity on the “K-question”. “Friedrich Merz said that this will be the case in late summer 2024. And until then there is no need for any personnel discussions.”