Power struggle
Explorations about Braun’s candidacy for the CDU chairmanship
Helge Braun (CDU), at that time head of the Federal Chancellery and Federal Minister for Special Tasks, takes part in the questioning of the federal government in the plenary session in the Bundestag. Photo: Michael Kappeler / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
So far, nobody has officially declared their candidacy for the CDU chairmanship. Friedrich Merz and Norbert Röttgen are considered likely contenders – now another name is being traded.
There are signs of movement in the power struggle for the future CDU leadership. In the Hessian CDU there are explorations about a possible candidacy of the executive head of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, for the federal chairmanship.
According to information from the German press agency from party circles on Tuesday evening, Braun is said to have the support of the Hessian CDU chairman Volker Bouffier for a candidacy as the successor to the outgoing party leader Armin Laschet. It was said that whether Braun would actually run for office was apparently not yet final. However, there is support for Braun from all parts of the CDU.
A spokesman for the state CDU did not confirm the information in the evening. He said, however, that a state board meeting on Friday would discuss the chairmanship of the CDU in Germany. The «Spiegel» also reported on the possible personalities of Braun and the planned meeting. The spokesman for the Hessian CDU said he would not comment on speculations about personal details.
CDU wants to reposition itself in terms of personnel
After the Union’s debacle in the federal election, the CDU wants to reposition itself. Applicants for the party chairmanship have been nominated since Saturday – but so far no one has officially declared their candidacy. In the CDU, it is expected that in the next few days, ex-Union faction leader Friedrich Merz and foreign politician Norbert Röttgen, two ambitious politicians will throw their hats into the ring for the upcoming questioning of around 400,000 CDU members.
With a candidacy from Braun, the internal power struggle could gain momentum. Laschet’s successor is to be elected on January 21 at a party conference in Hanover. The member survey about the new party leader is planned for December.
In the CDU, according to information from the dpa and the “Spiegel”, an interview in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” from the weekend was named as an indication of Braun’s interest in the party chairmanship. There Braun had said: “I hope for an exciting member survey for a candidate field with real alternatives.” He emphasized the importance of cohesion between the CDU and CSU: “If the union is not closed, it cannot be successful. And when the CDU and CSU are at odds, the rift always goes through the CDU, because we also have many friends of the CSU. ” When asked whether this was also possible with the CSU boss, Braun told the newspaper: “Of course, a close alliance with Markus Söder is possible.”
Braun has long been traded as a possible successor to Bouffier as Prime Minister of Hesse. Bouffier is deputy chairman of the federal CDU. In Laschet’s power struggle with CSU leader Markus Söder for the Union’s candidacy for chancellor in April, he clearly stood behind the then North Rhine-Westphalian prime minister.
Prien is running as deputy CDU chairwoman
The Schleswig-Holstein Education Minister Karin Prien wants to contribute as deputy CDU leader to the renewal of the party after the historic disaster in the federal election. «I would like to contribute my experiences and perspectives to the new CDU presidium. That’s why I’m going to run for deputy party chairman at the party congress, ”said Prien, who has been a member of the CDU federal executive committee since January, the editorial network Germany (Wednesday). She turned down a candidacy to succeed party leader Laschet.
She wanted to get fully involved in the state elections in Schleswig-Holstein on May 8, so that the CDU around Prime Minister Daniel Günther could win again, said Prien. “You can’t do all of this on the side. Leading the party in this situation requires a level of commitment and attention that cannot be afforded without neglecting other things. ” In addition, she would like to continue to be minister in Schleswig-Holstein. At the same time, Prien emphasized: “In the field of education and research, the Union must again claim to provide the decisive impetus. In addition to climate protection and digitization, this is the topic of the future. “
When she discovered that she was not running as a party vice for a team with one of the likely chairman candidates Merz or Röttgen, Prien said: “I find it strange that it just seems to be about individual candidates dealing with one Surrounded by a crowd of female comrades-in-arms who then come across as more of a set. ” This is not their self-image. She claims to be an independent actor. “For the CDU it is about more than the question of how the gentlemen from NRW get their rights.” In addition to Merz and Röttgen, other possible candidates for the CDU chairmanship also come from NRW.