Possible challenger
Scholz would like Merz to be the Union’s candidate for chancellor
In the Bundestag, Friedrich Merz (r., CDU) often attacks Chancellor Olaf Scholz (l., SPD) harshly. Nevertheless, the Chancellor would like to have the CDU leader as a possible challenger in the federal election.
© Kay Nietfeld / DPA
It is not yet officially clear who will be the candidate for chancellor in the next federal election. Chancellor Scholz is asked whether he sees CDU leader Merz as an opponent.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz says he would like to have CDU leader Friedrich Merz as an opponent of the Union in the next federal election campaign. “I think that is very likely and – if I can say so – I would be quite happy with it, but the CDU/CSU will decide that,” said the SPD politician on Saturday evening at a panel discussion organized by the Editorial Network Germany (RND) in Potsdam. He was responding to the question of whether he was preparing for the Union to nominate Merz as its candidate for chancellor and for him to become his opponent. But Scholz didn’t want to give a reason for that: “I’m not saying that now,” he said with a smile. “Go ahead, I would like to say now!”
The decision on the Union’s candidate for chancellor should be made in the fall
The Chancellor wants to react flexibly: “My actual attitude to these questions has always been that you can’t know how it’s going to happen and that you should then lead the political debate with everyone who puts themselves forward as an applicant.” , said Scholz. “If I just look at the last legislative period and who has been presented to me over time as the likely Union candidate, then the list is quite long.” Scholz described his relationship with Merz as follows: “From my side, it’s good.”
Merz was confirmed as party leader by the CDU last Monday. The decision on the Union’s candidacy for chancellor will only be made after the elections in three East German states in September. In addition to Merz, CSU boss Markus Söder and North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) are said to have ambitions to run for chancellor of the Union. SPD leader Lars Klingbeil is convinced that Scholz will lead the Social Democrats in the federal election campaign next year.