The representatives of the CSU in the Bundestag met this weekend in the Bavarian monastery of Seeon to explore themselves and criticize the traffic lights. For three days, the regional group discussed its stance on migration, the European elections and anti-Semitism. The farmers’ protests announced for Monday were also an issue.
Also present were party leader Markus Söder and guests such as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), Denmark’s Social Democratic Immigration Minister, Kaare Dybvad Bek, and Saxon Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.
We are not a variant of the traffic light, we are the alternative.
Alexander Dobrindt, Chairman of the CSU in the Bundestag
The CSU leaders were the loudest in their criticism of the federal government. Under the motto “Opportunities instead of Scholz”, regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt created a picture of what Germany would look like under a Union government. “We are not a variant of the traffic light, we are the alternative,” said Dobrindt.
The CSU wants to repeal ten key projects of the traffic light coalition
In the 25-page resolution paper that is available to the Tagesspiegel, you can also find it at the forefront ten political projects from the SPD, Greens and FDP, which the CSU would immediately reverse. Of course, that comes first Heating law, which the Union particularly campaigned against last year. The Citizen’s money The term itself is a thorn in Söder’s side: “We have to call it a social benefit again, because that’s what it is after all,” said the CSU party leader.
The list of revisions continued: The CSU would Nuclear phase-out, the self-determination law, the new citizenship law and cannabis legalization undo. The last two points have not even been decided by the Bundestag yet.
The CSU ideas at the Migration policy form a further counterpoint to the federal government. At the end of 2023, Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock grudgingly agreed to a stricter asylum procedure at EU level. For the CSU, the agreement did not go far enough.
On Saturday, Söder flirted with deportations to Syria. The CSU therefore invited the Danish migration minister. Bek may be a social democrat, but the Danes take a much stricter course than Germany when it comes to deportations and the payment of social benefits to asylum seekers.
Six months in prison for anti-Semitic crimes
But what design ideas does the Bavarian party have for the country? The CSU wants to make overtime tax-free. People who commit anti-Semitic crimes should be behind bars for at least six months and immediately deported if they do not have a German passport. Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, welcomed the proposals.
In order to produce fewer climate-damaging gases in buildings, the party wants to reduce the inheritance tax burden if heirs renovate their home to make it more energy efficient. In the area of defense, the CSU wants to invest in a drone army and supply Ukraine with Taurus cruise missiles.
The new electoral law threatens the CSU’s entry into the Bundestag
So far, the direction for the CSU in the Bundestag is clear. Accordingly, the mood among many participants was better than in previous years, even though the new electoral law hangs over the Bundestag group like a ghost. The CSU is under greater pressure because of the removal of the basic mandate clause and must receive enough votes in Bavaria to get it over the five percent threshold in the federal government.
Stone faces were only seen during the visit of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Behind closed doors, not every participant showed understanding that the CDU woman was invited.
Just five months before the European elections, it remains unclear whether the CSU will rely on the top candidate model in the European elections in June or whether it wants to avoid similar confusion as in 2019. At that time, CSU man Manfred Weber ran as the EPP’s top candidate.
In the end, however, it was not he who became President of the EU Commission, but von der Leyen. In front of the television cameras, Dobrindt still described the relationship with the woman from Lower Saxony as “close”. Just a few days ago, his party called for only seven instead of 27 commissioners to be appointed in the EU in the future.
On Monday, the last day of the meeting, the main focus will be on the elections in the East; Farmers’ Association President Joachim Rukwied is also invited to the discussion.
The CSU had already expressed solidarity with the farmers’ protests in advance. During his visit, Rukwied will certainly provide new material for the long list of mistakes made by the traffic light coalition.