Party conference
Merz calls on the CDU to defend freedom
“This is not the alternative for Germany. This is relegation for Germany,” says Friedrich Merz about the AfD. photo
© Andreas Arnold/dpa
The CDU leadership has begun discussing its new basic program with the grassroots. Party leader Merz uses pegs to demarcate to the left and, above all, to the right.
The CDU chairman emphasized that Germany will have to do more for its freedom – “emotionally, politically, but also materially; internally and externally.” You won’t be able to fight for the country’s freedom if you don’t maintain it internally. This includes a high level of tolerance for other opinions.
He therefore advocates dealing fairly and decently with party political opponents, but very clearly highlighting the differences, said Merz. There are clear boundaries when dealing with each other. “The limit has been reached where extremist parties from the left and especially now from the right are threatening precisely this coexistence in our country because they want a completely different republic than the one we have created over the last 75 years.”
Merz also discussed the arrest of the former RAF terrorist Daniela Klette. He warned that what began with demonstrations on the left, then turned into violence against things, ultimately led to brutal violence with murder and manslaughter against the representatives of Germany. “And that’s why we say: No matter whether it comes from the far left or the far right – something like this must never happen again in Germany.”