analysis
The CDU meets in Berlin for three days to decide on its new basic program and elect the party executive committee. No major controversy is expected. But there is still CSU boss Söder.
The Union has been particularly concerned about one thing lately: the egg issue. It was the beginning of April, the spring reception of the party youth, the Junge Union. CSU boss Markus Söder was actually supposed to give the welcoming speech. But he canceled at short notice because of important commitments in the state parliament. A remarkable justification, since Bavaria’s Prime Minister was not previously known as the most enthusiastic participant in state parliament meetings.
So CDU leader Friedrich Merz stepped in and made Söder an egg, one made of chocolate. Söder himself, who is known for his strong sense of self-expression, raffled off a chocolate egg with his likeness on it on his social media channels at Easter.
Now Merz handed over a replica of the Söder egg to the Junge Union as a guest gift with the remark: “Markus Söder is physically in the state parliament today. But with us today as an egg.” Thunderous applause, loud laughter. A performance that will go down in the annals of JU receptions.
Coalition with whom?
Now one wonders how Merz plans to top this speech at the upcoming party conference. But maybe he doesn’t have to. His re-election as party leader is considered certain. His work is appreciated in the CDU: the party is back on track in terms of content and the wing fights have been pacified. The mood: stable. However, none of this sounds euphoric.
Maybe that’s why so many in the CDU are waiting eagerly to see what the CSU leader has to say to the thousand or so delegates at the party conference. Söder is always good for a stir. And after the egg speech, he actually still has a score to settle with Merz anyway.
So Söder could take a swipe at Merz in the debate about possible coalitions. If the CSU has its way, the Union should completely forego the Greens as a possible political partner and clearly state it publicly as such.
But even if some in the CDU base would like that, Merz cannot rule out any coalition options with a view to the federal election. That would be strategically unwise.
For Merz, the Koa debate is an open flank that Söder will probably step into at the party conference. Söder should definitely arrive in Berlin with increased self-confidence. In the current surveys, many of which were carried out before the party conference, he is doing better than Friedrich Merz in most cases.
For example, in ARD Germany trend 37 percent of those surveyed are satisfied with Söder. Only 27 percent say that about Merz. The third member of the Union’s possible candidates for chancellor also has to fall in line behind Söder. NRW Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst is at 29 percent.
Just none Personnel debate
But apart from a parade of candidates, nothing will happen at the party conference regarding the K issue. The credo: please no personnel debate. In fact, a few weeks ago it still looked like combat candidacies on the open party conference stage. However, for the vacant position as party vice-president.
The head of the workers’ wing and NRW Social Minister Laumann and parliamentary group leader in the Hesse state parliament Ines Claus had both expressed interest, which caused an uproar among the party’s other deputies. Because Laumann, a veteran and popular within the party, was considered established.
Just like shortly before the eastern elections, Prime Minister of Saxony Michael Kretschmer and long-time member of the Bundestag Andreas Jung from Baden-Württemberg, which has a large number of members. At the end of the vote, not one person but one person would have lost out: Karin Prien, Minister of Education in Schleswig-Holstein, Sylvia Breher, federal politician from Lower Saxony or Ines Claus from Hesse.
“Competition of women” – the CDU, which has been fighting for more female heads and voters for years, cannot use such headlines. In the end, Ines Claus decided not to run for office. This means that nothing will change in the composition of the party leadership: with Merz, one man at the top, three men and two women as deputies.
Controversy over dealings with Islam
In terms of program, it could also be a party conference with little controversy. There are more than 2,000 amendments to the new basic program, which is also the lead motion. An application committee has already cleared up the particularly controversial points.
The religion part was certainly the most intensively debated. The bone of contention was the sentence: “Muslims who share our values belong to Germany.” A formulation that even party leader Merz was not happy with. When the members of the application committee met in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus on a Friday evening in mid-April, Merz is said to have told them to take a closer look at this part.
At the end of the meeting, the alternative was: “An Islam that does not share our values and rejects our free society does not belong to Germany.” From the perspective of the commission and party leadership, this sounds less exclusionary than the original version. After all, we are talking about “Islam” and not about individual people, i.e. “Muslims”.
The Central Council of Muslims also rejects this change. It serves anti-Muslim prejudices. In the CDU, on the other hand, there are only cautiously critical tones, if at all. It seems unrealistic that the party conference would question this sentence again.
Debate about conscription
At least when it comes to the subject of compulsory military service, things could get lively in the Estrel Hotel in Berlin. Several district associations are committed to considering a return to compulsory military service. The Junge Union formulates it clearly and wants to introduce compulsory military service for everyone. Preferably according to the Swedish model.
It is a sensitive debate for the CDU, which at the time was in government and had suspended compulsory military service. Reintroducing it almost a generation later may not be well received by young people and potential voters.
The CDU leadership prefers to stick with the demand for a mandatory year of service. Outcome of the debate: In this case completely open. Incidentally, one can never predict what dynamics a party conference will take, says a leading CDU member. Others in the party sound more calm: it could get boring. But then there is still CSU boss Söder, who will give a welcoming speech on Tuesday and will be allowed on stage again for a discussion on Wednesday at the start of the European election campaign.